Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area
Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 mini MBA success stories
Fellow(s): Abir Khaldi (2022)
Country: Tunisia
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development
Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 Mini MBA Success Stories
Fellow Abir Khaldi (Tunisia, 2022) recently led a workshop entitled “Deep Learning: Hands-on Artificial Neural Networks” for the first edition of Africa AI Week, organized by the African Networking and Innovation Platform (ITAUN). The event offered conferences and training sessions for all students, teachers, researchers and professionals from the African continent this past December. Abir lent her expertise as a university professor at the Higher Institute of Technological studies in Nabeul, Tunisia (ISET Nabeul) and the co-founder of Coworky, the first entrepreneurial hub and coworking space in the Cap-Bon region of her country. She has a Ph.D. in Computer Science and is currently researching cloud security, Big Data, Dev Ops, networks, graph partitioning and Artificial Intelligence at the Riadi Laboratory in ISET Nabeul.
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Report Date...: 1/30/2023
sustainable cities
Fellow(s): Maysoun Ibrahim (2011)
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2011
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow promotes book on developing smart, sustainable cities
Fellow Maysoun Ibrahim (Palestinian Territories, 2011) recently announced that her book “Smart Sustainable Cities: Transformation towards Future Cities” is available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats. In the book, Maysoun provides a practical roadmap and detailed framework of factors to be considered while planning the transformation towards smart and sustainable cities. The concepts aim at helping an urban center achieve smartness and sustainability by improving the quality of life of its citizens, efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental and even cultural aspects. This involves creating livable and equitable communities with access to affordable housing, transportation, education and healthcare. The book focuses on a comprehensive model of city planning and management, taking into account the many interconnected factors that contribute to a city’s sustainability. Maysoun hopes the book will provide “a base for planners, researchers, analysts and the interested observer to consider cities in a coherent and holistic model.” This book is the first of its kind in the Arab region written by an Arab woman specialized in this area of research. Dr. Maysoun Ibrahim is the Founder and the President of the Palestinian Information Sciences and Technology Syndicate (PALIST), Chairperson of the Innovation Supporters Network and an expert in smart, sustainable cities and the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Maysoun authored “Smart Sustainable Cities” as part of her work in fostering the United Nations Agenda 2030 and its related Sustainable Development Goals.
Read More »Report Date...: 1/23/2023
Fellow named to BBC 100 Women 2022 list
Fellow(s): Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (2017)
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow Named to BBC 100 Women 2022 List
Fellow Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (Kyrgyzstan, 2017) has recently been named one of the BBC 100 Women 2022 in their 10th annual compilation of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world. Ainura is an ecofeminist, computer engineer, and CEO of start-up Tazar, an app that connects producers of waste —from the individual level to the corporate level—with recyclers, in an effort to promote sustainability and reduce the amount of refuse that ends up in landfills in Central Asian countries. Sagyn has also led coding and STEM workshops for over 2,000 schoolgirls in Kyrgyzstan. The BBC’s 2022 list includes a diverse group of women from around the world, including those involved in conflict and resistance in various countries, as well as notable figures in music, acting, sports, and literature.
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Report Date...: 1/23/2023
Mentor to help lead largest river renewal effort in U.S. history
Fellow(s): Gwen Santos
Country:
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Mentor to help lead largest river renewal effort in U.S. history
As part of a decades-long effort to save an imperiled ecosystem, mentor Gwen Santos will help lead the restoration efforts for the largest dam removal and river renewal project in U.S. history as the project’s Lead Ecologist. The Klamath River Renewal Project, a multilateral, cooperative initiative, led by the Klamath River Renewal Corporation, was approved this fall by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Gwen has served as the Lead Ecologist on the project for the past 3.5 years while also performing her duties as Resource Environmental Solutions’ (RES) Western Region Senior Wetland Ecologist and Ecology Team Lead. Stemming from her work on the Klamath project and other endeavors on the West Coast, Gwen was Recently promoted to Director of Ecology & Regulatory for the Western Region. As the Klamath Project’s Lead Ecologist, Gwen, along with Restoration Program Manager, Dave Coffman, and Lead Fisheries Biologist, Dan Chase, will help oversee the resource protection measures during dam removal, the flora propagation effort and restoration of the former reservoir footprints, which aims to restore the degraded Klamath River ecosystem in the Northern California and Southern Oregon region. The water quality has been decimated by aging hydroelectric dams that have prevented threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead fish from reaching more than 400 miles of historic habitat in the upper river basin. The project, Gwen shares, is “vital to the future of several imperiled salmon populations on the West Coast” and has involved the propagation of “billions of native seeds and tens of thousands of native oaks and shrubs.” The Klamath River Renewal Corporation was appointed to oversee the removal of these four dams and implement a settlement agreement signed by more than 40 entities and stakeholders, including the States of California and Oregon, Tribal nations, PacifiCorp (the dam owner), irrigators, and several conservation and fishing groups.
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Report Date...: 1/16/2023
FINOMENA co-organizes WomenInCtrl hackathon
Fellow(s): Nadiah Sabaneh (2015)
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
FINOMENA co-organizes WomenInCtrl hackathon
FINOMENA (Female Innovators & Investors of MENA), an initiative founded and led by fellow Nadiah Sabaneh (Palestinian Territories, 2015) recently co-organized the allwomen hackathon “WomenInCtrl” which took place during Global Entrepreneurship Week at Intersect Innovation Hub in Ramallah. The hackathon was an opportunity for ambitious and techsavvy women to create effective tech-driven solutions and to cultivate powerful partnerships between female entrepreneurs and investors, with the goal of moving towards a more inclusive and sustainable innovation-based economy. The WomenInCtrl Hackathon featured a wide range of workshops and mentorship opportunities, covering business development, marketing, technology and economics. Participants also had the opportunity to pitch their
Read More »Report Date...: 1/16/2023
New fellow wins Tech Sis of the Year Award
Fellow(s): Oluwatobi Otokiti (2022)
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
New fellow wins Tech Sis of the Year Award
Shortly after returning home from completion of her TechWomen program, fellow Tobi Oluwatobi (Nigeria, 2022) was given the honor of the Tech Sis of the year award by the Art of Technology Lagos (AOTLagos). She is recognized as one of the top 10 female product management leaders in Africa, a product mentor at Google Launchpad, and the founder of ProductDive, the largest product management community and school in Africa. Her recent induction as a Techwomen fellow also contributed to the win. When I heard my name being called on the stage,” Tobi shared, “I was astounded by the love…I’m dedicating this award to any female whose ever desired to get into and thrive in Tech. You can become a Tech Sis, too.”
Read More »Report Date...: 1/16/2023
Fellow gains recognition as local data science trailblazer and mentor
Fellow(s): Fellows gain recognition as national trailblazers and mentors
Country: Zimbabwe
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow Henrica Makulu (Zimbabwe, 2022) was recently featured in a news story recognizing her rising profile as a pioneer in data analytics in her country. Titled “34-year old shining in tech world,” the story highlights Henrica’s recent nominations as a finalist for the WomenTech Mentor of the Year and WomenTech Community Award for 2022. “This is super-significant because Loveness [Nleya] and I are the first Zimbabweans to get this far in these global awards,” Henrica shared. Henrica credits her recognition to her work as founder of HM Digital data consulting, through which she has impacted over 3,000 people with training, mentorship and advising in digital literacy and data analytics. In November, Henrica accepted the role of Senior Specialist Consultant of Business Intelligence at Medscheme Holdings. She was also featured, along with fellow Wadzanayi Kimberley (Zimbabwe, 2022), on the cover of the inaugural issue of “25 Women in STEM Magazine,” which seeks to spotlight Zimbabwean women trailblazers in STEM. There, Henrica shared that she believes “stories are just data with a soul” and that she is passionate about providing data insights that inform business decisions in her community.
Read More »Report Date...: 1/9/2023
Fellow shares journey on Startups Arabia podcast
Fellow(s): Fellow Afnan Ali shares journey on Startups Arabia podcast
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2011
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Afnan Ali (Jordan, 2011), a member of the inaugural TechWomen cohort and founder of Eureka Tech Academy, was recently interviewed on “Startups Arabia” to discuss her journey from electrical communications engineer to founder of one of the earliest programs in Jordan dedicated to engaging youth in tech innovation and entrepreneurship. Eureka Tech Academy has provided useful, basic technological education to thousands of children with the aim of sparking the next generation of engineers, innovators, inventors and tech entrepreneurs. Among other topics, Afnan discusses the founding of Eureka Tech Academy, adapting to a post-COVID world and meeting Queen Rania of Jordan during a program visit in 2017. She also recalls her acceptance of the UN’s UNCTAD award for best female tech entrepreneur in 2020 when she said, “starting a new project does not necessarily need a business plan, but having an unshakeable belief of the ‘why’ behind this project is a must.”
Read More »Report Date...: 1/9/2023
Fellows team up on women’s panel for Arab EmTech
Fellow(s): Fellows team up on women’s panel for Arab EmTech
Country: Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellows Diala Al Samarani (Lebanon, 2022), Roshaan Sheikh (Pakistan, 2022) and Rahma Tizzane (Morocco, 2022) recently collaborated with fellow Eman Herawy (Egypt) as panelists to support her “Towards More Women in Tech” event during the Arab EmTech & Startup at Arab Blockchain Week in November. Eman is a leading blockchain developer in Egypt and the founder of Arabs in Blockchain, which seeks to empower the Arab blockchain community through the transfer of knowledge, elimination of language barriers and global and local community connection in Blockchain. She also co-founded NoonDAO which is an Arab women-led decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) advocating for Arab women’s empowerment.
Report Date...: 1/9/2023
Fellow startup wins #WeAreTogether International Prize
Fellow(s): Fellow startup wins #WeAreTogether International Prize
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow Nida Farooqui (Pakistan, 2020-2021) recently accepted the “Good Deed of the Year” award and #WeAreTogether International Prize in Medicine and Lifestyle at the International Forum of Civil Participation in Russia on behalf of startup Sehat Kahani, where she serves as Chief Technology Officer. Sehat Kahani is a woman-founded and led digital telehealth platform that connects medical doctors to patients in hard-to-reach and underserved areas of Pakistan. As stated on the website of the International Forum of Civil Participation, the #WeAreTogether prize is intended to “recognize and support the leaders of socially significant initiatives aimed at helping people and improving the quality of life in Russia and the world.” Sehat Kahani is recognized for making a significant impact during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to telemedicine professionals and prescriptions at a period when traditional brick and mortar healthcare centers were understaffed and undersupplied. Today, Sehat Kahani has hosted well over a million telehealth consultations with its portfolio of nearly 40 clinics in Pakistan and a network of over 7000 healthcare professionals worldwide. Nida accepted the historic awards as the representative of Sehat Kahani and spoke on several panels during the event
Read More »Report Date...: 1/2/2023