Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area
Fellow named AI Global Ambassador by SwissCognitive
Fellow(s): Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019)
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow named AI Global Ambassador by SwissCognitive
Fellow Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019) has recently been named an AI Global Ambassador 2023 by SwissCognitive, a world-leading artificial intelligence network that sources experts in the field of AI to facilitate the successful integration of the technology into the modern world. Reema is the founder and CEO of Galaxy Organization For Technology and a senior consultant for Tesla. She recently gave a speech on STEM skills for the job market at Al Hussein Technical University in Jordan, joined a panel for Swiss Cognitive entitled, “Redefining Business Performance with Generative AI,” and next week will deliver a keynote address for Women in AI USA focused on Generative AI Strategy for Boards and C Suites. Her recent TedX PSUT Talk on the future of jobs will soon be available for viewing.
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Report Date...: 4/3/2023
Fellow launches DigiWomen Camp with USAID Future Growth Initiative
Fellow(s): Merjen Saparmyradova (Turkmenistan, 2019)
Country: Turkmenistan
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow launches DigiWomen Camp with USAID Future Growth Initiative
Fellow Merjen Saparmyradova (Turkmenistan, 2019), founder and director of Sanly Bilim Educational Center in Turkmenistan, has recently launched DigiWomen Camp in partnership with USAID’s Future Growth Initiative. This four-month program provides access to spaces and training in IT and software development for women and girls over the age of 16. The nearly 100 participants to-date, upon successful fulfillment of the program, will earn a completion certificate and have developed a portfolio and/or finished product to kick-start their own IT business. DigWomen Camp is the first program of its kind in Turkmenistan. It aims to augment the qualifications of women and girls as a pipeline towards heightening their presence in the virtual and in-person IT job market in the country. “The first step towards increasing women’s and girls’ access to technology and digital spaces,” Merjen explained in a recent post, “is to promote digital education and actively support and encourage girls’ participation in related subjects.” Sanly Bilim Educational Center first began working with USAID projects in November of 2022, and in December partnered with the USAID Youth Development Project to host their six-month TechYouth Bootcamp, which provides tech training for youths aged 18 to 25 in the areas of web and mobile application development, user interface and experience (UI/UX), graphic design, and IT and system administration. In that same month, Merjen won the Alumni of the Year in Women’s Empowerment Award during the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat’s first ever New Year’s Alumni Gala.
Read More »Report Date...: 3/27/2023
Fellow delivers keynote at innovation center launch
Fellow(s): Fellow Sebay Bintu Koroma, née Momoh (Sierra Leone, 2018)
Country: Sierra Leone
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow delivers keynote at innovation center launch
Fellow Sebay Bintu Koroma, née Momoh (Sierra Leone, 2018) recently delivered the keynote address for the official launch of Kamara Yokie Innovation Center (KYIC), the first youth-owned and youth-led innovation center of its kind in Sierra Leone. The center aims to leverage modern entrepreneurial leadership and STEM education principles to unlock the potential of youths, with support and resources including free computers and robotics tools. “In an age shaped by technological advances,” Sebay recapped in a recent post, “it is imperative that young people have the know-how to create and operate technology and science-based solutions, as it is critical to their advancement…and will strengthen their agency in terms of decision-making over their health, financial and career choices.” Sebay is a petroleum engineer for Petroleum Directorate Sierra Leone.
Read More »Report Date...: 3/27/2023
Mentor named among 50 Women of Impact honorees
Fellow(s): Mentor Ishita Majumdar
Country:
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor named among 50 Women of Impact honorees
Mentor Ishita Majumdar was recently honored as one of the 50 “Women of Impact” awardees by Women Impact Tech, a woman-owned community that aims to advance gender equity in tech by promoting diverse, inclusive and equitable hiring and knowledge sharing practices. Honorees were selected for their significant efforts towards promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in a field that has been traditionally dominated by men. “This recognition is very special to me, as it amplifies my passion to ‘pay it forward’ as an ally, mentor, counsel and sponsor for women and men in their professional journeys,” Ishita wrote in a recent post. Ishita is Vice President of Data Analytics Platforms at eBay, where she has worked since 2014.
Read More »Report Date...: 3/27/2023
Fellow shares inspirational journey on BBC Sounds Podcast
Fellow(s): Baratang Miya (South Africa, 2015)
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow shares inspirational journey on BBC Sounds Podcast
Fellow Baratang Miya (South Africa, 2015) was recently featured as a guest on BBC Sounds Podcast “Women leading the tech revolution in Africa” episode, where she discussed her journey into tech, the power of teaching women and girls how to code and the sociocultural, infrastructural and policy changes needed to make that possible. “Walking into a board room with men [who] judge you and tone you down,” she confided,” really made me cry at some points… [and] I feel like it’s what keeps women behind. I used to be very emotional about that. I’m not anymore.” When asked how she overcame this struggle, Baratang explained that “the mindset and the policy issues are not going to change unless I become the most powerful and strong woman [and] can withstand the rocks that come my way. …And once I started taking it as it comes and telling myself, I’m going to sit in the boardroom and say, ‘we have to talk about women and girls,’ then I started hearing my voice getting stronger and seeing the change. It became a passion for me. Change is what I do.” Baratang is the founder of Girlhype Coders Academy, which has taught more than 1,000,000 women and girls how to code. She is also the founder of Women Tech Policy Hub (WTPH), which trains leading women in STEM in policy entrepreneurship through fellowship and executive education. Founded in 2022, the fellows of the WTPH include a vast number of women from the TechWomen community, including at least fourteen fellows from Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Uzbekistan. Baratang was also named among the 50 People Who Made the Internet a Better Place in 2016 and regularly serves as a technology writer, judge, speaker and advisor in tech competitions and hackathons.
Read More »Report Date...: 3/20/2023
Fellow contributes to Middle East Inst. energy report
Fellow(s): Jessica Obeid (Lebanon, 2012)
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2012
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow contributes to Middle East Inst. energy report
Fellow Jessica Obeid (Lebanon, 2012) contributed to a recently published Middle East Institute (MEI) report, “Economic Diversification, Energy Transition, and the Labor Market in Iraq and the Gulf,” offering insights and analyses from a workshop hosted by the MEI and the Iraq Policy Group. The workshop, held last fall, was centered on building mutual understanding of fiscal challenges, future growth and policy recommendations for energy security and economic governance in Iraq and was attended by government representatives, economic and energy experts, international development specialists, and a youth cohort. Jessica is an energy expert with 15 years of experience in engineering, thinks tanks and consulting in EMEA, contributing to the development of sustainable energy systems. She is the founder of New Energy Consult in Dubai and a non-resident scholar for the Middle East Institute in Washington, DC. She is also a Senior Global Advisor for Azure Strategy in London, England, where she currently resides. She recently spoke at the 44th International Association for Energy Economics Conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where she discussed Circular Carbon Economy in MENA countries.
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Report Date...: 3/30/2023
Mentor speaks at Tradewinds Conference in Bangkok
Fellow(s): Mentor Jeannice Fairrer Samani
Country:
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor speaks at Tradewinds Conference in Bangkok
Mentor Jeannice Fairrer Samani, CEO of digital transformation firm Fairrer Samani Group, recently spoke on a panel at the TradeWinds ASEAN conference in Bangkok, Thailand, where she shared her insights on trade and how governments can support women’s economic empowerment. Jeannice was joined on the panel by Under Secretary of Commerce Marisa Lago, as well as the CEO of MULA-X and the Country Manager for Pfizer. Organized by the U.S. Commercial Service, Trade Winds brings together U.S. commercial diplomats from over 20 countries in Asia for meetings, panels, networking and other engaging programming for the largest U.S. government-led trade mission and business development forum of its kind.
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Report Date...: 3/30/2023
Fellow initiative named in Young Global Changemakers Top 50
Fellow(s): Rim Assaad (Lebanon, 2018)
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow initiative named in Young Global Changemakers Top 50
Rim Assaad (Lebanon, 2018) has recently been named one of the Top 50 semifinalists for the Young Global Changemakers Recoupling Awards 2023, which recognizes young enterprisers from all over the world who institute tangible, youth-led initiatives contributing towards community economic prosperity by environmentally sustainable means. She is recognized as executive director of RISE2030, a community-led initiative managed by Sustain The World NGO in Lebanon, of which Rim is president and co-founder, and SEFY international NGO in the US, on which Rim serves as a board member. RISE2030 focuses on empowering women and youth through capacity building education and employment and has recently been recognized for launching the first all-women solar team in Lebanon to lead a complete installation project. RISE2030 has led the training of more than 1,250 female technicians and engineers who installed solar photovoltaic systems for multiple facilities such as wastewater treatment plant, waste recycling facilitiy, waste sorting and material recovery facility, solar tree in a public park, women cooperatives and MSMEs.
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Report Date...: 3/13/2023
Fellow speaks at ICRC panel
Fellow(s): Salome Gathoni (Kenya, 2018)
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Fellow speaks at ICRC panel
Fellow Salome Gathoni (Kenya, 2018) recently spoke on an ICT career panel in Geneva, Switzerland for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Women in Tech (WiT) initiative. As the ICT Coordinator for the ICRC field operations in Somalia, Salome addressed “how technology drives humanitarian footprints and operations for the benefit of remote communities, despite the challenges that come in armed conflict contexts,” she explained in a recent post. The ICRC event, attended by global internal and external ICT leaders, technology experts and executives, was centered on strategizing the use of digital advancements on the execution of humanitarian operations and aid initiatives that benefit individuals impacted by armed conflict. Salome joined the ICRC in June of 2021 at the launch of the WiT initiative. She has been actively involved as a Program Co-Leader, where she plans activities, coordinate events and invites guest speakers to mentor and inspire the women in ICT. “I appreciate my TechWomen experience,” she shares, “for not only exposing me to many career insights, but also enlightening me on many ways to drive impactful community programs leveraging the power of partners & networks.”
Read More »Report Date...: 3/13/2023
Fellow(s): Zharkyn Chsheglova, Abeer Albashiti, Ichraf Jarray, Kseniia Tysganova and Racha Friji
Country: Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tunisia
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
WomenTechMakers Conference features five fellows
Five 2022 fellows banded together to contribute to the recent WomenTechMakers Conference held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on March 11, International Women’s Day. Zharkyn Chsheglova (Kazkahstan) served as a moderator, while Abeer Albashiti (Jordan), Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia), Kseniia Tysganova (Kyrgyzstan) and Racha Friji (Tunisia) all served as speakers at the event. Themes of the conference included User Interface and Experience (UI/UX), GIS, Mobile, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Web, Decentralized Crypto, Design, Firebase, Cloud, Google Actions, Tech Entrepreneurship, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality (VR/AR), Security and Architecture.
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Report Date...: 3/13/2023
