(NOTE: Ameenah Gurib-Fakim stepped down as president of Mauritius in March 2018, following accusations that she misused a credit card given to her by a nonprofit. Read "Corrections & Updates" below for more details.) Ameenah Gurib-Fakim was an academic and entrepreneur before being appointed president of Mauritius -- the first Muslim female head of state in Africa. In a wide-ranging conversation with journalist Stephanie Busari, Gurib-Fakim discusses the humble beginnings of her political career, what it's like to be both a person of faith and a scientist and why we need to value traditional African knowledge, among much more. "I don't think you should take yourself seriously," she says. "You need to have trust in what you can do, have confidence in yourself and give yourself a set of goals and just work towards them."

Ameenah Gurib-Fakim and Stephanie Busari: An interview with Mauritius's first female president

An interview with Mauritius's first female president

A powerful advocate for women in STEM, she inspires young girls in Africa to pursue sciences, dismantling gender stereotypes.

Highlighting the coexistence of faith and science, she underscores the role of spirituality in guiding scientific discovery.

Navigating the balance between faith and science, asserting they can coexist and enrich personal perspectives on life's complexities.