Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area
Fellow(s): Adetoun Akitoye
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow hosts chemistry educators event at UNILAG
Adetoun was commended on her food insecurity research at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.
Fellow Adetoun Akitoye (Nigeria, 2022), a lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), recently hosted the Women Chemistry Educators Network event, “Shaping the Future: Teaching and Mentorship for Women Chemistry Educators,” supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The gathering brought together leaders in academia to explore the transformative role of mentorship and continuous learning in the sciences.
Adetoun, who mentors undergraduates and champions innovation and food security research at the university, led the event with a focus on community, growth, and collaboration. During a presentation of her work at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, she was commended by U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. for her efforts to combat food insecurity in her country.
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Report Date...: 04/07/2025
Fellow(s): Assala Dob, Elghers Nesrine, Gasmi Rim, Imen Lezzam, and Nassima Farhi
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2024
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development, Public Health
Team Algeria 2024 Seed Grant Winners Advance to Product Distribution with “Camel Bright Solutions”
Fellows Assala Dob, Elghers Nesrine, Gasmi Rim, Imen Lezzam, and Nassima Farhi of Team Algeria 2024 have just surpassed the testing phase and are now on the path to product distribution for their TechWomen seed grant-winning impact project, Camel Bright Solutions.
Addressing the urgent issue of the approximately 500 devastating road accidents that occur in Southern Algeria each year, primarily at night and often involving camel collisions , the team developed Camel Bright Solutions. This product line of fluorescent, reflective, and adjustable collars for camels are designed to make the animals visible from up to 1,500 feet away by drivers. These lightweight, comfortable collars will not only enhance road safety but also help camel owners track their livestock more effectively.
Since receiving $3,000 in seed grant funding, the team has successfully moved from concept to implementation. They have completed the design phase, ensuring the collars are adjustable for camels of all sizes, and developed a prototype with a local supplier. Field testing at a camel farm confirmed that the collars fit securely and did not cause discomfort.
With promising results from testing, the team is now working on the next critical step: distribution. They have initiated discussions with Algeria’s Ministry of Agriculture to define a large-scale deployment strategy, aiming to make Camel Bright Solutions widely accessible. By improving visibility on roads, their innovation has the potential to significantly reduce accidents, save lives, and protect the livelihoods of families who depend on camels.
Report Date...: 03/03/2025
Fellow(s): Patience Muchawa
Country: Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability
Fellow joins UN-Habitat in sustainable development role
Fellow Patience Ruvimbo Muyambo, née Muchawa (Zimbabwe, 2022) has recently announced her advancement into the role of national consultant for UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Program). In this capacity, she will be contributing to the Achieved Energy and Resource Efficiencies in Zimbabwe’s Built Environment project—an initiative aimed at establishing a national baseline for energy, water and material consumption, developing a green building rating and certification system, and enhancing energy and resource efficiency standards in Zimbabwe’s construction sector.
Patience, an IFC Edge Expert and sustainability advocate, is committed to ensuring that Africa’s context is reflected in global green building standards.
“This is more than a project,” she shares. “It’s a chance to drive meaningful change in urban development, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve access to clean, reliable energy for communities in Zimbabwe.”
Report Date...: 02/24/2025
Fellow(s): Aisuluu Kozhomkulova
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Cohort: 2023
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development
Fellow facilitates MOU on digital innovation between StrategEast and the University of Central Asia
The University of Central Asia (UCA) has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with StrategEast, where fellow Aisuluu Kozhomkulova (Kyrgyzstan, 2023) serves as regional director for Central Asia. StrategEast is an independent institution focused on advancing Eurasia’s digital economy. This collaboration will enhance computer science education, mentorship, faculty development and student integration into the IT industry. UCA and StrategEast will work together to build a digital innovation ecosystem, support emerging tech initiatives and share expertise, reinforcing UCA’s commitment to future-ready skills and academic excellence.
Through this partnership, UCA and StrategEast will work together to build a digital innovation ecosystem, support emerging tech initiatives, and share expertise, reinforcing UCA’s commitment to equipping students with future-ready skills.
In addition to leading regional initiatives, Kozhomkulova moderated a panel discussion on behalf of StrategEast at the Tech Synergies: Collaboration for a Digital Tomorrow conference on February 17 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
Report Date...: 02/17/2025
Fellow(s): Jeannice Fairrer Samani, Ines Nasri, and Ichraf Jarray
Country: Tunisia, United States
Cohort: 2014, 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Mentor with fellow collaborators undertakes 14-day journey through Tunisia for Business Boost program
Mentor Jeannice Fairrer Samani, recently visited Tunisia as a special guest of the Business Boost for Tunisia Program, engaging with fellows and entrepreneurs, conducting market discovery interviews, and exploring opportunities for sustainable innovation. With expertise in AI, digital transformation, and workforce development, she brought insights from her experience at Stanford and UC Berkeley to support Tunisia’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Jeannice’s 14-day journey resulted from an invitation from fellow Ines Nasri (Tunisia, 2014), the CEO of WebPower and a Business Mentor for SelectUSA. During this time, Jeannice visited Sousse, Monastir, Tunis and Hergla. She met with founders and innovators across multiple sectors, her engagements highlighting key advancements, such as biomedical innovation and metaverse tourism in Sousse, sustainability-focused textiles in Monastir, and the intersection of heritage and modernity in Hergla. She also explored developments in Tunisia’s automotive and technology sectors, connecting with local entrepreneurs driving change.
A key moment of her visit was speaking at a Hive 12 event, hosted by fellow Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022). Addressing an audience of founders, Jeannice shared insights from her upcoming book on Transformative Leaders™, focusing on resilient leadership, the FAVCS Model (feasibility, adaptability, viability, cultural Awareness, and sustainability), and strategies for scaling businesses globally while preserving cultural identity.
Jeannice’s visit also marked a milestone for the expansion of sustainable innovation in Tunisia, as she announced four new Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) to strengthen collaboration and ecosystem development. Reflecting on her experience, she shared: “Together, we’re shaping a new standard of entrepreneurial excellence. Let’s scale dreams into realities!”
Report Date...: 02/03/2025
Fellow(s): Nobubele Shozi
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development
Fellow appointed to South Africa’s National CODATA Committee
Fellow Nobubele Shozi (South Africa, 2016) recently announced her appointment as a member of the South African National Committee for the Committee on Data for Science and Technology (CODATA) in 2024. In this role, she will contribute to advancing South Africa’s agenda on data stewardship, accessibility, and integration to support scientific and technological progress.
Currently a data stewardship manager at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Nobubele brings more than twelve years of expertise in cybersecurity, data governance and management.
CODATA, operating under the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa, plays a crucial role in promoting research and innovation across various scientific domains, including indigenous knowledge. The South African National CODATA Committee supports initiatives that drive interoperability, data integration, and geospatial knowledge infrastructure, contributing to solutions for global challenges and movement toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Report Date...: 02/03/2025
Fellow(s): Ayesha Zaman Hammad
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow to Lead Coworking Initiative at NASTP
Fellow Ayesha Zaman Hammad (Pakistan, 2022) has been appointed General Manager of Co-Work @NASTP a coworking space initiative at the National Aerospace Science and Technology Park (NASTP), a key national institution advancing science and technology in Pakistan.
In this role, Ayesha will lead the development, operations, and expansion of a coworking ecosystem designed to support startups, SMEs and tech innovators.
With a vision to foster collaboration and drive innovation, she aims to position NASTP as a leading hub for Pakistan’s entrepreneurial and tech communities. Ayesha brings extensive leadership experience to the role, having founded SkillsTodo and Women Leaders of Pakistan, initiatives focused on skills development, job placement and career growth in STEM.
Report Date...: 01/27/2025
Fellow(s): (Mentors) Jessica Dickinson Goodman and Zoe borden, and (fellows) Assiatu Jalloh, Mavzuna Abdurakhmanova, Faith Mpara, Meriem Touami, Selma Ndi and Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi
Country: Algeria, Cameroon, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, United States
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor and Alumnae deliver Ignite Talks on Tech Diplomacy with Georgetown University Digital Tech Forum
Hosted by the Georgetown University Digital Technology Forum, six fellows and two mentors delivered Ignite Talks on Tech Diplomacy on October 22, 2024 to an audience of graduate students, staff, foreign service personnel and other members of the broader Georgetown community. Organized and moderated by mentor Jessica Dickinson Goodman, with opening remarks from mentor Zoe Borden, the talks featured fellows Assiatu Jalloh (Sierra Leone, 2016), Mavzuna Abdurakhmanova (Tajikistan, 2017), Faith Mpara (Cameroon, 2017), Meriem Touami (Algeria, 2017), Selma Ndi (Cameroon, 2022), and Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi (Pakistan, 2024). Together, they covered topics including AI in education and government, women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusion, internet infrastructure, bridging binational connections and the importance of exchange programs like TechWomen.
“It was a powerful example of how deep, wide and strong the TechWomen network is,” said Jessica, who is pursuing both an MS in Foreign Service and an MA in Global, International and Comparative History at Georgetown University, where she hopes to continue to collaborate to host with TechWomen alumnae and mentors.
Report Date...: 11/25/2025
Fellow(s): Busayo Durojaiye, Dorothée Danedjo Fouba, and Faten Khalfallah Hamouda
Country: Cameroon, Nigeria, Tunisia
Cohort: 2014, 2015
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Three fellows tapped for inaugural cohort of IIE’s GCWL
Fellows Busayo Durojaiye (Nigeria, 2014), Dorothée Danedjo Fouba (Cameroon, 2015), and Faten Khalfallah Hamouda (Tunisia, 2014) have been named inaugural members of the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Global Community for Women’s Leadership (GCWL).
This groundbreaking initiative connects alumnae from over 200 IIE-administered exchange programs to empower and equip women worldwide with the resources, mentorship, and skills they need to advance and thrive in leadership roles. Launched in response to global challenges in gender parity, GCWL serves as a critical step toward closing the leadership gap.
Representing 30 countries and a wide range of professional fields, GCWL members will participate in leadership development tailored to their career paths while building connections through networking and mentorship activities.
Report Date...: 11/25/2024
Fellow(s): (mentor) Cora Lam and (fellows) Aigerim Kurmanbekova, Aisuluu Kozhomkulova, Mira Zholdoshalieva, Tatayana Plotnikova, Bermet Dosmambetova, and Elmira Obry
Country: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, United States
Cohort: 2022, 2023, 2024
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Mentor Speaks at Inaugural Central Eurasia @ Silicon Valley Conference attended by Fellows and Mentors
Mentor Cora Lam recently spoke on a distinguished panel at the first-ever Central Eurasia @ Silicon Valley (CESV) Conference, held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on October 25, 2024. Hosted by the Silkroad Innovation Hub, this landmark event brought together over 1,200 participants, including 150 venture capitalists, 100 exhibiting startups, and 300 founders, to celebrate the role of Central Eurasia in the future of global innovation.
On the panel, titled “Women Shaping the Future of Tech,” Cora joined Nazira Nurbayeva, Consul-General of Kazakhstan in San Francisco, alongside several other experts and advisers in entrepreneurship. Together, they discussed the power of mentorship, government policy, and venture capital in driving opportunities for women in technology, offering insights into policy and funding landscapes shaping growth opportunities in tech for Central Eurasian women and highlighting mentorship’s critical role in this development.
The event drew several Central Asian Fellows to Silicon Valley, including Aigerim Kurmanbekova (Kyrgyzstan, 2023), Aisuluu Kozhomkulova (Kyrgyzstan, 2023), Mira Zholdoshalieva (Kyrgyzstan, 2024), Tatayana Plotnikova (Kazakhstan, 2019), Bermet Dosmambetova (Kyrgyzstan, 2022), and Elmira Obry (Kazakhstan, 2022), the latter two of whom are scheduled to present a session at the TechWomen Alumnae Summit in Morocco this December. Mentors Kathy Giori and Meg Gordon also joined the event, underscoring the TechWomen community’s ongoing commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration.
Report Date...: 10/28/2024
