Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area

Fellow Founded Incubator Joins AfriLabs Network

Fellow(s): Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022)

Country: Tunisia

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development

Hive 12, a multi-faceted incubator founded by fellow Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022), has recently entered into a partnership with AfriLabs, one of Africa’s leading networks of technology and innovation hubs. In a milestone expansion event, Hive 12 represented one of 19 new hubs from Angola, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zimbabwe to join the AfriLabs network this spring. “This partnership marks the first step towards developing African markets for our startups, creating opportunities for both parties, and expanding our network,” Ichraf shared in a recent post. Hive12 operates as not only an incubator, but also a co-working space and consulting practice with the recent addition of a research and development department all to serve early-stage startups for women and youth.

Report Date...: 7/10/2023

Fellow earns Mini-MBA from Felestineya Business Program

Fellow(s): Abeer Saidam (Palestinian Territories, 2020-2021)

Country: Palestinian Territories

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development

Fellow Abeer Saidam (Palestinian Territories, 2020-2021) recently earned her Mini-MBA from the Felestineya Business Administration Program, an initiative offered by the Bank of Palestine in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and in partnership with the Business Women Forum (BWF), and Ernst & Young Company (EY). The program provides skills and leadership development for women entrepreneurs and project leaders across Palestine who possess demonstrated business acumen. “It has been an intense and rewarding experience and I’m proud of the knowledge I’ve gained,” Abeer shared in a recent post. “I now feel more confident than ever in tackling complex challenges.” Abeer is the founder and CEO of Khzanty, an e-commerce platform for women wishing to buy, sell, and donate bespoke clothing

Report Date...: 9/25/2023

Fellow founds STEM Sensitization Talks for Nigerian girls

Fellow(s): Adeola Aremu (Nigeria, 2022)

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Fellow Adeola Aremu (Nigeria, 2022) recently launched her first event for nonprofit initiative, STEM Sensitization Talks, which was held for secondary school girls in Kwara State, Nigeria. The purpose of the event was to educate girls on the gender gap in STEM and encourage them to enroll in science and technology classes for the upcoming academic year. “It was an eye opening session for the girls as they affirmed that STEM seeds have been sown in their hearts,” Adeola shared in a recent post. She has launched this initiative to steer girls toward STEM courses on their promotion to Senior Secondary classes, which is a major determinant for continuing on into higher education and careers in STEM. “It’s a ‘catch them young’ approach,” Adeola wrote in recent communications with the team. “It’s a way of giving back to TechWomen.”

Report Date...: 9/18/2023

Fellow arrives in SF Bay Area to start 12-month research scholar role at Berkely Lab’s Molecular Foundry

Fellow(s): Raushan Nurdillayeva (Kazakhstan, 2020-2021)

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

This August, fellow Raushan Nurdillayeva (Kazakhstan, 2020-2021) arrived in the San Francisco Bay Area to start a 12-month research scholar role at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s (Berkeley Lab/LBNL) Molecular Foundry. She credits access to this momentous opportunity to her supportive TechWomen mentor, Virginia Altoe, who made her aware of the research possibilities at Berkeley Lab, and Kazakhstan’s Republican Commission for Training Personnel Abroad, which awarded her a grant this June covering the travel and cost of living expenses for a fellowship program at a leading scientific center of the world. Her project “Investigation of 2D-passivated 3D halide perovskite thin films” is being conducted at two lead centers, the Inorganic Nanostructures Facility, where her assigned scientist is Dr. Carolin Sutter-Fella, and the Imaging and Manipulation of Nanostructures Facility, where her assigned scientist is Virginia Altoe. Both of these scientists will be serving as 2023 TechWomen mentors. Raushan is the Head of her Department at Ahkmet Yassawi University in Kazakhstan. She has an M.S. in Environmental Science from Almaty University of Power Engineering and Telecommunications. “I’m proud to share my success story of the impact of the 2020-2021 virtual TechWomen program,” she expressed in recent communications.

Report Date...: 9/11/2023

Fellow organizes AI-centered hackathon for Arab youths

Fellow(s): Ruba Awais and Rasha (Hammo) Abu Dayyeh (Palestinian Territories, 2017)

Country: Palestinian Territories

Cohort: 2017

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Ruba and Rasha organized the fourth hackathon of their platform, Vtech Road, which empowers Arabic youth to develop UN SDG-focused innovations.

Cofounders of Vtech Road, fellows Ruba Awais and Rasha (Hammo) Abu Dayyeh (Palestinian Territories, 2017), recently organized their fourth VTech Road hackathon, AI4us. Composed of six teams charged with utilizing artificial intelligence to develop entrepreneurial ideas targeted at United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Vtech Road is an innovation platform that empowers Arabic youth to develop SDG-focused tech projects. Each team was provided access to educational content from the platform, AI4us.tech, which included mentor-led live training sessions centered on the ethics and applications of AI. “Seeing the passion and enthusiasm of young Palestinian entrepreneurs, their creativity and commitment to making a difference through technology, has always been incredibly inspiring,” Ruba shared in a recent post.

Report Date...: 9/11/2023

AFITech

Fellow(s): Aziza Krimaa, Fatima-Zahra Benyaaqoub, Hajar Salamat, Manar Ouaritni, Meriem Haddouchi (2022)

Country: Morocco

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

VMWare has donated an additional $3000 USD to Team Morocco 2022 for their impact project AFITech, Alert Fire on Time Initiative.

Fall 2022 Team Morocco has recently received just over $3,000 USD in additional seed funds from program partner and sponsor VMWare, to assist in the development and implementation of their seed-grant winning impact project, AFITech, Alert Fire on Time Initiative. Earlier this year, Aziza Krimaa, Fatima-Zahra Benyaaqoub, Hajar Salamat, Manar Ouaritni and Meriem Haddouchi launched a fundraiser seeking additional capital for the launch of AFITech. Mohna Dhomse, a VMWare Information Experience Leader and TechWomen mentor since 2011, spearheaded the company’s donation. Mohna shared that her extensive volunteer hours made her eligible to “further amplify my service learning contributions by recommending a VMware Citizen Philanthropy Investment grant to a nonprofit of choice.” VMWare’s funding will supplement costs for AFITech’s early wildfire-detection system, which will protect precious argan trees by deploying a network of tree sensors that measure temperature, humidity and carbon monoxide levels in argan forests. These sensors will then send alerts to local emergency authorities when fire is indicated, triggering early firefighting efforts and reducing the devastating environmental and economic impacts of argan forest wildfires. The pilot program will defend women farmers of Amskroud Village, whose livelihoods depend on the harvesting of argan oil, a globally-marketed skin and hair care ingredient.

Report Date...: 09/04/2023

Fellow advocates for youth sexual health on panel

Fellow(s): Ngwashi Christabel, MD (Cameroon, 2020-2021)

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Ngwashi spoke on a panel focused on helping youth break the stigma around sexual health education and discussion this August.

Fellow Ngwashi Christabel, MD (Cameroon, 2020-2021) recently spoke on a panel, “Normalizing Age Appropriate Sex Education and Conversations,” at a summit produced by Sexual Health Companion in Buea, Cameroon. The aim of the event was to empower youths in understanding their sexual and reproductive health and rights by breaking the stigma around the topic. During the panel, Ngwashi focused on “the 3 ‘I’s of sexual education: being intentional, incidental and inclusive.” Ngwashi is a medical doctor and global health specialist focused on maternal, adolescent, reproductive and child health (MARCH) care services and counselling, particularly in conflict-affected areas in Cameroon. She is also the founder of More Than Just An MD (MT-JAM Health), a platform that utilizes storytelling as a tool to increase health literacy and patient-centered care. She also serves as a Health Specialist African Fellow for the World Bank.

Report Date...: 09/04/2023

Fellows speak on women driving innovation at Kcell ‘23

Fellow(s): Zhanargul Izimova, Zharkyn Chsheglova

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2018, 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development

Fellows Zhanargul Izimova (Kazakhstan, 2018) and Zharkyn Chsheglova (Kazakhstan, 2022) shared the stage for a panel discussion entitled “Women Driving Innovation in Kazakhstan” at the Kcell Eurasian Mobile Summit 2023 in Almaty this August. Zhanargul spoke on strategy and Eurasia as a fintech leader of digital transformation, while Zharkyn appeared as an ambassador of the Google Women TechMakers program and fellow of TechWomen. “Behind every successful woman is a tribe of successful women, a mission that I took with me from my Silicon Valley mentors,” Zhanargul wrote in a recent post. The Kcell Eurasian Mobile summit brings together regional experts in telecom to address changes and innovations in the field.

Report Date...: 9/04/2023

Fellows speak on women driving innovation at Kcell '23

Fellow(s): Zhanargul Izimova (Kazakhstan, 2018) Zharkyn Chsheglova (Kazakhstan, 2022)

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2018, 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development

Report Date...: 9/04/23

Fellows collaborate on paper addressing crop threat

Fellow(s): Flora Asibe (Nigeria, 2020-2021) Edith Mugehu (Zimbabwe, 2018)

Country: Nigeria, Zimbabwe

Cohort: 2018, 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellows Flora Asibe (Nigeria, 2020-2021) and Edith Mugehu (Zimbabwe, 2018) recently collaborated in the publication of, “Status and management strategies of major insect pests and fungal diseases of maize in Africa: A review.” Combating food insecurity caused by threatened maize crops, the review examines pest and disease management practices in the region and provides integrated recommendations to mitigate the threat. Edith is a research fellow at Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Flora is a research fellow at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and the co-founder of EduChamps. “Through our work, we have demonstrated that borders cannot hinder our impact,” Flora wrote in a letter to TechWomen. “Instead, they become bridges that transform our communities and the global village.”

Report Date...: 08/07/2023

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