Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
World Bank features fellow’s impact in Central Asia
Fellow(s): Saida Yusopova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2016 fellow Saida Yusopova was recently featured by The World Bank in Europe and Central Asia in a video spotlight that highlighted her work bringing tech training and workshops to over 5,000 girls in Uzbekistan.
Saida is the co-founder and CEO of Green Business Innovation as well as a regional ambassador for Technovation. Alongside 2016 fellows Elena Selezneva and Ozoda Ismailova, Saida established Technovation’s first chapter in Uzbekistan, supporting teams of girls in building mobile apps that solve real-world issues in their communities. Since Technovation launched in Uzbekistan, over 5,000 girls have coded 250 mobile apps that bring innovative solutions to their communities. “Some people believe that the IT profession isn’t suitable for women,” said Saida. Through Technovation, Saida is challenging that stereotype, creating a pipeline for more girls to study IT and enter the tech sector. “We can confidently say that the challenge has a significant impact on the lives of our participants,” she said.
Report Date...: 3/22/21
Fellow featured in global forum on women in leadership
Fellow(s): Reema Diab
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2019 fellow Reema Diab presented on her initiative that empowers women and girls with IT skills at this week’s Global Viewpoints Forum hosted by Legacy International. The event also featured TechGirls alumna Lara Kasbari of the Palestinian Territories.
Reema is the founder of Galaxy Organization, an IT non-profit that hosts programs for youth and women in artificial intelligence, coding and more. In her presentation, Reema outlined the unemployment challenges women face in Jordan, explaining that women only account for 12% of the Jordanian workforce. Through its programs, Galaxy has a mission to train women and youth with IT skills that will help them find jobs and opportunities: “All the women and youth are empowered to create a better life using their skills in technology,” said Reema. Galaxy has trained over 2,200 girls through its cybersecurity program, and 550 women have participated in its online business program. The organization has recently expanded its reach to women and youth in Egypt, Dubai and the Philippines.
Report Date...: 3/22/21
Fellow’s non-profit opens a STEM space for girls
Fellow(s): Janet Leparteleg and Chepkemoi Magdaline
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2017, 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Butterfly Techies, the non-profit founded by 2017 fellow Janet Leparteleg, has opened its first STEM space for students in Samburu County, Kenya. Janet created Butterfly Techies in 2016 with a mission to expose high school girls from arid and semi-arid counties to STEM careers and empower them with digital literacy skills. In addition to founding the non-profit, Janet is an assistant ICT officer at ICT authority as well as a 2019 Chevening Scholar.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Janet’s outreach to schools in rural Kenya came to a halt. “Schools in Kenya had been closed for nine months, and once they resumed, there were very strict measures for school visits,” she said. “That affected our programs, and we felt the need to open up a community space to increase our scope from students to entire communities.” Butterfly Techies has already purchased computers and supplies for their pilot program, which will bring in 12 students for classes on digital literacy. The first cohort begins in two weeks, and Janet is already speaking to partners – many of whom are TechWomen fellows – who will create programs that train students in IT, 21st century skills, leadership and more. This month, Butterfly Techies also partnered with North-Rift Women in STEM, the AEIF-winning initiative co-led by 2019 fellow Chepkemoi Magdaline, to run a STEM training bootcamp for 90 women and girls in Samburu County.
Report Date...: 3/15/21
Fellow speaks about her STEM career in podcast
Fellow(s): Fatima Zohra Benhamida
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
This week, 2017 fellow Fatima Zohra Benhamida was a featured guest on the Gusra Podcast, a podcast that invites thought-leaders in the MENA region to speak about their experiences, careers and passions. Fatima is an assistant professor at the National School of Computer Science in Algiers, as well as a TechWomen/TechGirls Club board member, Technovation judge and Microsoft Humans of IT community ambassador.
“I was invited to be the voice for girls and women, and speak about my experiences as a woman in STEM,” said Fatima. During the interview, she spoke about being raised in an underserved region in Algeria and the obstacles she overcame to both study and teach at top universities. She shared her experiences about being the only woman engineer on a male-dominated team, as well as her advice for women who are balancing work and family. Fatima also reflected on her TechWomen experience and how her time in Silicon Valley changed her mindset and renewed her passion for encouraging women and girls to be successful STEM.
Report Date...: 3/15/21
With award funds fellow plans to build STEM center for kids
Fellow(s): Rita Clemence Mutabazi
Country: Rwanda
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last month, 2013 fellow Rita Clemence Mutabazi was named a winner of the Women in Science Award for her commitment to advancing science in Rwanda. Rita is the principal of IPRC Tumba, a polytechnic school specializing in IT, electronics, communication technology and green tech. Rita serves as the only woman principal among the greater consortium of polytechnic schools in Kigali.
The event was held on the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and organized by The National Council for Science and Technology in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, Rwanda Association for Women in Science and Engineering, and Next Einstein Forum. Rita was honored alongside four other women, and was given the Science Leadership Award in recognition of her dedication to promoting science among women and girls in Rwanda. Rita will use her award funds to help create a STEM makerspace at her former primary school, and has recruited the help of TechWomen fellows. Noella Nibakuze (2018), Zani Gichuki (2019) and Shakira Nyiratuza (2019), all of whom work at MASS Design Group, will lend their skills to help design a space that will have an electronics corner, biology corner and other STEM tools to inspire students. “This journey won’t be possible without TechWomen alumnae and all the girls who aspire to be engineers, scientists and technologists that have fueled my passion to do more,” said Rita.
Report Date...: 3/8/21
Fellow shares lessons from career and advice for women in tech
Fellow(s): Samia Elhanchi
Country: Morocco
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
2017 fellow Samia Elhanchi recently published an article in GeeX Review, the first developer magazine in the MENA region. The fifth edition of the magazine was themed on women in tech in honor of Women’s History Month, highlighting women innovators and leaders who have made an impact in MENA.
Samia, a senior project manager at Orange Maroc, wrote about the lessons she has learned as a woman in tech, the importance of amplifying women’s voices and tips for women to succeed in business. Samia emphasized that, although women are gaining representation in STEM — 43% of engineering students in Morocco are women – a retention issue remains. “Women are lost through the career ladder,” she wrote. Samia also shared four of the lessons she’s learned throughout her career: build your network, develop your personal brand, never stop learning and get a mentor. “The best gift you can ever get is a great mentor,” she wrote.
Report Date...: 3/8/21
TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs host first cross-regional summit
Fellow(s): TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs
Country:
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, the TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs from the CSA and MENA regions convened for their first-ever Cross-Regional Summit, gathering online to network, share updates and support one another’s activities and initiatives. TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs provide a space for career counseling, mentoring, leadership development and more. Launched in 2018, the cross-program clubs expanded from seven program countries in MENA to include four countries in CSA.
Callie Ward, ECA’s youth programs branch chief, opened the day, speaking about the importance of engaging and empowering girls to create change in their communities. “You are moving forward, you are leading…I applaud all of your efforts. I want to thank you for everything I know you’ll do moving forward,” she said. 2013 TechWomen fellow of Lebanon Nisreen Deeb also delivered a keynote, emphasizing that, through communities like TechWomen/TechGirls, women and girls can foster innovation, entrepreneurship and community impact. “Keep supporting each other, keep empowering each other — because we need each other,” she said.
In breakout rooms themed on IT, tech business, engineering, and medical/ed/tech policy, TechWomen and TechGirls alumnae had an opportunity to talk about their work, share how they were celebrating International Women’s Day and give career support and advice.
Report Date...: 3/1/21
Fellow delivers keynote for UNESCO World Engineering Day
Fellow(s): Lucy Mutinda
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
2016 fellow Lucy Mutinda was invited to deliver the keynote address at the UNESCO World Engineering Day celebration on March 4. The event, held at the University of Nairobi, brought together leading engineers, professors and leaders to talk about this year’s theme, “Engineering for a Healthy Planet.”
Lucy is the CEO of Ecocycle, a company that focuses on environmental solutions to recycle sewage into clean, usable water. She is also the founder of Envirologic, a sustainability consultancy company. In her keynote, Lucy spoke about how engineers can ensure the UN SDG’s can be not just implemented, but also sustained, for generations to come. “There is need to identify ways in which learning institutions will optimally train the next generation of engineers who can help solve the world’s most pressing economic and environmental challenges,” she said. Training a new generation, she argued, requires early investment in STEM education for youth. She also emphasized the importance of hiring and retaining women engineers: “There has to be a deliberate push to transform the patriarchal spaces and culture of work in engineering” she said. “This can be through special measures like flexible working hours, childcare support, parental leave, and other leadership growth incentives.”
Report Date...: 3/1/21
Fellow wins 2021 Women of Wonder Award
Fellow(s): Iqra Hameed
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
This week, 2019 fellow Iqra Hameed was named a winner of the 2021 Women of Wonder Awards, an annual campaign that honors Pakistani women who are creating an impact in the country. The campaign is hosted by Women of Wonder Pakistan, an initiative that highlights and amplifies women leaders and contributes to their professional development through mentorship and training.
Iqra, a product manager, was a winner in the Technology and Innovation category, recognized by a panel of 12 judges for her work advancing innovation as well as for being a role model for girls. Iqra is also a part of Innovation Valley, an online community that creates conversation around innovation, digital transformation and 21st century skills. Through meet-ups, webinars and skills training, Iqra hopes to create a supportive community dedicated to the advancement on innovation in Pakistan and beyond.
Report Date...: 3/1/21
At FemTech Fest fellows support women entrepreneurs
Fellow(s): Binta Moustapha and Stella Uzochukwu
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2014, 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
Women operate 41% of micro businesses in Nigeria, yet 55% of financially excluded adults in Nigeria are women. At this year’s Arewa FemTech Fest, a virtual event and hackathon, 2014 fellow Binta Moustapha and 2019 fellow Stella Uzochukwu helped address the challenges and needs of Northern Nigeria’s women entrepreneurs. The event was organized by Financial Services Innovators, a Nigerian association, alongside Startup Arewa, an incubator for tech entrepreneurs.
The event’s mission was to increase financial inclusion among women entrepreneurs by introducing simple and easy-to-use Fintech for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME’s) in Northern Nigeria. In the kick-off event, Binta, joined by CEOs and local Fintech leaders, participated in a webinar that discussed the needs of women entrepreneurs. Binta is the founder of 100 Women in Tech Nigeria, an initiative that amplifies Nigerian women leaders. Together, the panelists spoke about how financial services can serve women and the ways in which Fintech solutions can be made accessible to all.
The webinar was followed by an eight-day virtual hackathon where over 100 innovators designed practical solutions for the women entrepreneurs. Stella, the country director for the Odyssey Educational Foundation, served as a judge, helping choose the first, second and third place winners, all of whom received cash prizes to bring their solutions to market.
Report Date...: 2/22/21
