On International Day of Women and Girls in Science, Kenya celebrates figures like Debra Riako, a laboratory technologist at the KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) in Kilifi. Her decade-long contribution to vaccine trials and public health research highlights the critical, often uncredited, work of laboratory technologists.

• Debra Riako's journey to science began five years after high school due to financial constraints, enrolling at Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC).
• As a laboratory technologist, Riako's daily tasks include equipment checks, sample preparation, drafting SOPs, and supporting various vaccine studies.
• KWTRP actively supports women in science, offering scholarships and leadership opportunities, with women holding key leadership positions.
• Riako encourages young girls to pursue STEM careers, emphasizing that societal expectations should not limit their ambition.