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Lire en français When we visited my grandmother in rural Chad, my siblings and I would go in search of the sour-sweet fruits of the West African blood bush (_Haematostaphis barteri_).

Nowadays I study the bioactive compounds of that same tree, and of the wild syringa (_Burkea africana_). Both are medicinal plants often used in Chad to treat malaria symptoms. For my PhD

studies in organic chemistry, I identify and isolate organic compounds with specific anti-malaria properties. I am one of the 45 members of the Laboratory of Biotechnology, Natural Products

and Bioactivities of Emmanuel Talla, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Ngaoundéré, in the Adamawa region of Cameroon. Our studies on the chemical properties of

medicinal plants from Central African countries support the search for new drugs for malaria, diabetes, cancer, skin infections, and gut diseases. I hope to return to Chad to teach and

further my career in drug discovery by combining plant-derived natural compounds and nanotechnology. This could be particularly beneficial in treating complex diseases that involve multiple

pathways, and could allow for a more holistic approach to therapy. Adequate funding remains a key problem for Central African researchers. In my case, budget constraints meant I was limited

to only citing open access journals in my PhD literature review. Most of my funding is spent on solvents, reagents, and laboratory stock. African women are still underrepresented in the

chemistry world, despite their potential and contribution. Pursuing a science career is challenging, especially in a strict African society where professional women are not yet the norm. I

have twice suspended my studies to safeguard my unborn babies against possible chemical exposure. During my last pregnancy in 2023 I started AFWOCHEM, a blog where I feature African women in

chemistry. Through my interviews I have learned valuable life lessons about creating a better balance between a career, family life and motherhood, and about resiliently overcoming some

struggles that women in science face. I hope the blog helps others too. I am thankful for French government bursaries, and recently also a regional ‘Women in Science’ scholarship from the

Congolese Foundation for Medical Research.