On 25 August 2026, Women-In-WACREN (WiW) held the official virtual launch of the WiW Network, bringing together women in STEM from across several WACREN countries in West and Central Africa. Developed under the AfricaConnect4 (AC4) project, the Network connects women in STEM from Anglophone and Francophone countries into a single regional community focused on mentorship, cross-border collaboration, and professional growth. Participants joined the session eager to build and engage with one another, share knowledge, and continue learning and improving in their chosen STEM fields.
The launch event also introduced the WiW Climate Innovation Lab 2026, a four-day intensive taking place 12–15 October 2026 at the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja, where multidisciplinary teams of women will build digital solutions to climate challenges facing their communities. As part of the agenda, WiW opened its Call for Facilitators and Call for Mentors, inviting professionals with expertise in climate science, digital technologies, human-centred design, and innovation to support participating teams during the Lab and through a six-month post-Lab mentorship programme. This recording captures the full proceedings of the launch, including the announcement of the Network and these open calls.