Inspiring the next generation of women in STEAM

Our annual "This Little Girl is Me" campaign highlighted inspiring stories of empowerment and growth
11/10/2024
For the third year in a row, we partnered up with Inspiring Girls International to mark the International Day of the Girl. We hope that by sharing the successes of Toyota women through a joint #ThisLittleGirlIsMe campaign, we can empower girls to reach for their dreams.

The power of representation in action

The #ThisLittleGirlIsMe campaign brings forward women in powerful positions to inspire the younger generation. At an event hosted at Toyota’s R&D Technical Centre in Zaventem, four different women working at Toyota shared their journeys, demonstrating to 35 schoolgirls, coming from different schools in Belgium, that they can break barriers and thrive in any career that they chose. The event aimed to help girls visualise their future selves as leaders in different industries.
  • Andrea Lazcano: challenges are steppingstones towards innovation

    Andrea's international background shaped her vision for innovation. As a Vehicle Performance Engineer, she works on automated driving systems, making future mobility safer and more intuitive. Andrea’s work shows that challenges are just steppingstones towards innovation.

  • Silvia Perez Sanchez: shaping the world with innovation

    Silvia’s path to engineering was propelled by curiosity. Having worked at Toyota for 8 years, she now leads the team that tests electric vehicle batteries, embracing problem-solving and creativity that engineering demands. She encourages young girls to see that engineering shapes the world with innovative solutions.

  • Azenor Ollivier: diversity drives innovation

    Azenor’s passion for mathematics led her to Toyota’s Vehicle Performance Engineering team. In her role she develops virtual driver models to optimise safety and performance. She encourages girls to embrace their uniqueness, showing how diversity fuels creativity and drives innovation forward.

  • Coral Felipe: persistence is key to achieve goals

    Coral began her career with an interest in the field of energy. It led her to become a Material Engineer, looking at alternative energy solutions for the future of mobility. Coral believes creativity and problem-solving are key to overcoming challenges and driving sustainable progress.

  • Leila Sharifian: embrace the change

    Leila’s career journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and curiosity. Her role at Toyota shifted drastically over the years from working on internal combustion engines to innovating advanced battery tech, so she knows better than anyone that embracing change is key.  

“If I could sit now next to this little girl, I wish I could whisper into her ear: dream big and fight for it!”
said Monica Perez Lobo, VP Corporate Affairs, Toyota Europe