Kenyan-born Rehema Kwamboka Ouko is currently an MSc student at Hasselt University in Belgium pursuing Biostatistics. She has extensive and practical knowledge and two years of experience in dealing with big data, data cleaning and analysis with excellent and practical experience in many data processing software including R, SAS, SPSS, MATLAB, familiar with STATA and survey scripting tools such as Open Data Kit (ODK) as well as Programming with Python (NumPy, pandas, TensorFlow, scikit-learn, etc), mathematical modeling using Berkeley Madonna and Sage, Bayesian data analysis using OpenBugs. She is also proficient in document processing software such as Microsoft Office, R and Latex.

Apart from a Master’s degree in Mathematical Sciences obtained from AIMS Cameroon in July 2020, Rehema also holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Peking University-China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Statistics with Computing from Maasai Mara University-Kenya.

“Since primary school level, I realized I enjoyed studying mathematics than other subjects even though some fellow students never liked it. I found it fun, rewarding and at the same time challenging. My passion to understand how numbers (mathematics), can be used for insightful decision making, which can lead to development and poverty eradication, propelled my application to study Applied Statistics with Computing in my Bachelor’s degree. After graduating, I had an opportunity to work with one of the market research companies, Dalberg Research, in Kenya where my Boss – Steve BickoCygu – was an AIMS South Africa Alumni. His way of working was unique and he always stood out.”

Rehema recalls that Steve BickoCygu’s impression at work made her yearn for the AIMS model and that was how she found herself at AIMS Cameroon. “My journey in AIMS Cameroon exposed me to intense knowledge on core areas applicable to many real-life challenges that need the application of mathematical and statistical modeling, programming, etc. AIMS did not only equip me with academic knowledge but also very essential skills such as CV and motivation letter writing, presentation and communication skills, how to relate with people from different backgrounds, networking, the essence of giving back to the society, etc.,” she explains. Rehema aspires to apply her professional skills acquired in mathematical sciences, statistics with computing, and in public administration to address industrial, social, health, and other challenges and to share the knowledge and expertise acquired in her professional training to provide quality situational analysis for better decision and policy making at all instances to improve the economy of Africa using the available data.