Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
TechWomen travel with TechGirls to the United States
Fellow(s): Keremet Djoldoshbekova, Mutriba Akhmedova, Sevara Siradjeva, Salma Bekkouche, Reem El-Mograby, Dhelal Shorman, Maya Itani, Safaa Boubia and Faten Hammouda
Country: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Special Report, Youth Engagement
TechWomen fellows from Central Asia and the MENA region accompanied TechGirls participants on their journey to the U.S. this week, officially kicking off TechGirls 2019. Fellows of Central Asia Dina Shaikhislam (Kazakhstan, 2017), Keremet Djoldoshbekova (Kyrgyzstan, 2015), Mutriba Akhmedova (Tajikistan, 2015) and Sevara Siradjeva (Uzbekistan, 2016) chaperoned the TechGirls from their respective countries, ensuring they arrived in Washington D.C. safely and ready for the exciting program ahead. The next day, MENA fellows Salma Bekkouche (Algeria, 2018), Reem El-Mograby (Egypt, 2011), Dhelal Shorman (Jordan, 2017), Maya Itani (Lebanon, 2017), Safaa Boubia (Morocco, 2018) and Faten Hammouda (Tunisia, 2015) arrived with TechGirls from MENA, joining the other alumnae and TechGirls participants in D.C.
During the week, TechWomen fellows participated in a panel at Trinity Washington University, sharing their experiences and inspiring the TechGirls to pursue STEM fields. “I told them that when I was a software engineering major, there were seven girls and 32 boys in the group,” said Mutriba. “All seven girls graduated, but there were just seven boys left from the 32! Girls are strong by nature. They can do everything they want.” Dhelal spoke about her career transition from biomedical engineering to working at a business incubator with women founders. “I told the girls to never be afraid of change – it’s the only constant in life,” she said.
This year, TechGirls expanded to Central Asia, inviting girls from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan to the program. Over the coming weeks, the TechGirls cohort will gain exposure to programming, mobile application development and hands-on instruction that aims to empower and inspire them to pursue STEM fields. At the end of this month, seven additional TechWomen fellows from throughout Central Asia and MENA will travel to D.C. to return home with the TechGirls cohort. Before their departure from the U.S., the fellows will have the opportunity to hear the TechGirls’ project plans and attend a concluding capstone event.
Report Date...: 7/8/19
TechWomen and TechGirls create paths to future partnership
Fellow(s): Hania Gati, Ouafa Benterki, Djamila Douache, Nassima Berrayah, Imene Rahal, Ameni Channoufi, Fatima Zohra Benhamida and Salma Bekkouche
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Special Report, Youth Engagement
Last month, TechWomen and TechGirls came together for the Algeria Alumni Summit, the first event from the Algeria TechWomen-TechGirls Club. Launched in 2018 in seven program countries of MENA, TechWomen-TechGirls Clubs provide a space for career counseling, mentoring, leadership development and more.
The summit’s mission was to strengthen the TechWomen and TechGirls community and facilitate opportunities for future collaboration and mentorship. 2011 fellow Hania Gati, 2012 fellow Ouafa Benterki, 2013 fellows Djamila Douache, Nassima Berrayah and Imene Rahal, 2014 fellow Ameni Channoufi, 2017 fellow Fatima Zohra Benhamida and 2018 fellow Salma Bekkouche were in attendance, leading roundtables on mentorship, entrepreneurship and Algeria’s tech landscape. The fellows also joined a TechWomen-TechGirls panel, sharing their exchange program experiences and exploring ways alumnae can support one another. At the end of the summit, the group set goals for future collaboration, creating roadmaps for future projects, grant proposals and STEM activities.
Report Date...: 7/8/19
Fellow collaborates with mentor to host inaugural tech summit
Fellow(s): Lindiwe Matlali
Country: South Africa, United States
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last week, 2017 fellow Lindiwe Matlali organized the first-ever Girl Geek Summit in Centurion, South Africa. The two-day event was designed to motivate girls to pursue careers in STEM by exposing them to inspirational role models, exciting sessions and opportunities to build their confidence. Lindiwe, founder and CEO of Africa Teen Geeks, a computer science academy dedicated to teaching underserved communities within South Africa, envisioned the summit to address the STEM education gap; according to her, only five percent of South African schools teach computer science. “With more widespread, equal access to computer science, female mentors and role models in STEM, we believe we can drastically change these numbers,” she said.
Tapping into the expertise of local and international women leaders, the summit’s sessions supported 100 girls to explore STEM subjects through various keynotes, panel discussions, workshops and one-to-one career coaching. TechWomen Professional Mentor Eileen Brewer, who traveled to South Africa for the event, presented a workshop on tech entrepreneurship, emphasizing why the world needs more girls in STEM.
Following the success of the inaugural conference, Lindiwe is planning for the 2020 Girls Geek Summit and plans to triple the number of attendees to 300.
Report Date...: 7/1/2019
Fellows reflect on starting local Technovation chapter
Fellow(s): Elena Selezneva, Ozoda Ismailova and Saida Yusupova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
In a documentary-style video, 2016 fellows Elena Selezneva, Ozoda Ismailova and Saida Yusupova share how their TechWomen experience inspired them to establish the first Technovation chapter in Uzbekistan. In the video, the fellows discuss their vision to bring home the positive benefits of mentorship, which they saw firsthand through TechWomen.
Using the Technovation Challenge model, which supports teams of girls build mobile apps to solve issues in their community, they aim to address root causes of gender inequality, illiteracy and lack of access to technology. Since its launch, hundreds of girls throughout Uzbekistan have participated in the program. In 2018, six Uzbek teams reached the semifinals, joining 1,500 teams from 115 countries; one Uzbek team made it to the world finals and pitched their app to experts in Silicon Valley.
The video also features other leaders in Tashkent, including Public Affairs Officer John Brown of the U.S. Embassy, which supports the fellows’ efforts to expand Technovation activities across the country. The fellows were also selected as a 2018 Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund (AEIF) winner.
Report Date...: 7/1/19
Fellows and Emerging Leaders join forces to inspire girls
Fellow(s): Michelle Sesay, Fatmata Kamara Valentina Thompson, Magdalene Peters, Kumba Musa, Bernadette Kargbo, Sebay Momoh, Lyat Mason and Nyanje-Marie Jabati
Country: Sierra Leone
Cohort: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
This week, TechWomen fellows and incoming Emerging Leaders came together to inspire young girls to pursue engineering. 2013 fellow Michelle Sesay, 2014 fellows Fatmata Kamara and Valentina Thompson, 2015 fellows Magdalene Peters and Kumba Musa and 2018 fellows Bernadette Kargbo and Sebay Momoh participated in a sponsored walk for Sierra Leone Women Engineers. There, they were joined by two 2019 Emerging Leaders, Lyat Mason and Nyanje-Marie Jabati, for a day of programming with middle school and high school girls.
Sierra Leone Women Engineers was established by the country’s Institution of Engineers to increase the pipeline of women engineers in the country and encourage its members to collaborate. The event was attended primarily by girls from Saturday Club, a group that the fellows established to assist young girls with their school work and inspire them to pursue STEM fields. At Saturday Club, the fellows invite women engineers to speak about their work and often organize field trips and site visits to see it firsthand. “Most often, we’re the only women in the room or on site,” said Sebay. “This needs to change! We continue to raise awareness about the benefits of STEM and encourage our girls to take up the challenge.”
Report Date...: 6/24/19
Alumnae present at Google event for women in tech
Fellow(s): Zevar Davlatmamadova, Madina Makhmadieva and Natalya Tyudina
Country: Tajikistan
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
Recently, 2018 fellows Zevar Davlatmamadova, Madina Makhmadieva and Natalya Tyudina participated in an International Women’s Day meet-up for local women in tech. The event, hosted by Google Developers Group Dushanbe and Google’s Women Techmakers program, featured women tech professionals who shared their work and demoed new technologies.
Natalya, a software engineer, presented on Industry 4.0, demonstrating 5G, AR/VR solutions and emerging eye tracking technologies. Zevar gave a talk on the importance of self-education, showing how gaps in higher education can be supplemented by online courses and continued educational opportunities through programs such as TechWomen. Madina, a scrum master and working mother, spoke about achieving a successful work-life balance, showing how women can be ambitious and hardworking in both their professional and family lives.
Report Date...: 6/24/19
Fellow holds STEM competition for local secondary schools
Fellow(s): Chioma Ezedi
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last week, 2016 fellow Chioma Ezedi organized and hosted innov8 STEM Competition, a STEM-based event for secondary school students in Bauchi State. Chioma, a software developer, is also a co-founder of STEMTeers alongside 2015 TechWomen fellow Mercy Sosanya. With a mission to inspire innovation and technological advancement in children, STEMTeers brings engaging STEM education to youth through hands-on programming and activities.
The competition, supported in part by U.S Embassy Abuja, was themed on finding innovative solutions to waste and recycling challenges in the students’ communities. Throughout the day, more than 60 students representing 13 schools presented their ideas to a panel of judges, which included 2014 fellow Tarimin Kewa. In order to compete, students and schools were required to have at least half of their team be comprised of female students.
The winning group was an all-girl team from Al-iman Secondary School who addressed the lack of recycling and sustainable solutions in Bauchi State. Their project recycled water, turning it into cleaner water to use for domestic chores. “They were prepared with facts and statistics, even when the judges asked tough questions,” said Chioma.
Report Date...: 6/17/19
Fellows host mentorship event for students in Karakol
Fellow(s): Nazira Sheraly, Aiturgan Zulpukarova, Elena Chigibaeva, Gulzire Minbaeva
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Cohort: 2016, 2017, 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last week, 2016 fellow Nazira Sheraly, 2017 fellow Aiturgan Zulpukarova and 2018 fellows Elena Chigibaeva and Gulzire Minbaeva organized an event that brought together students for a day of inspiration and learning. The meetup, held at the American Corner Karakol, was the first event hosted by Techaim, a mentorship program recently launched by Nazira and the fellows. Through Techaim, the fellows aspire to support women in STEM fields, particularly those outside of the capital city, to grow and develop. With support from program volunteers, the fellows coordinated the event, engaged partners and presented on their own work and initiatives.
Eighty high school and university students attended the day’s programming, which featured keynotes and presentations from local women in tech. Elena, a CEO and independent consultant, presented on her career trajectory and expanded on Techaim’s mission to educate and mentor students interested in tech. Aiturgan spoke to the students about Kuragami, her company that works with local artisans to make sustainable and ethically sourced products. “Participants loved it, and the students were inspired by our supportive community of women in tech,” said Nazira. Techaim hosted its second meetup on June 15 in Osh and has plans to continue scaling.
Report Date...: 6/10/19
Fellows give career talks to inspire students at Almaty school
Fellow(s): Zhanargul Izimova, Nargiza Siyabekova
Country: Kazakhstan
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
Recently, 2018 fellows Zhanargul Izimova and Nargiza Siyabekova visited Nazarbayev Intellectual School in Almaty to share their career journeys and encourage students to pursue STEM fields. The school, which caters to students ages five to 18, focuses on physical, chemical and biological sciences. The visit was co-organized by Zhanargul’s daughter, a Kazakhstan delegate for gender equality in politics for Model UN.
Zhanargul, a managing director at Sberbank and Nargiza, a senior teacher at a programming school for children, shared their professional journeys and perspectives on gender equality in the workplace. Addressing the students, they explained that women account for only 5% of IT positions in the country and discussed the role that unconscious bias plays in the issue of underrepresentation. They also spoke about their TechWomen experiences, encouraging the female students to develop both their digital and soft skills. “We adored these young, courageous and determined students,” said Zhanargul. “These children are the future leaders in Kazakhstan.”
Report Date...: 5/27/19
Fellow shares professional insights in AnitaB.org webinar
Fellow(s): Peace Asukwo
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
Last week, 2013 fellow of Nigeria Peace Asukwo collaborated with AnitaB.org to host a “TechTalk” on career development for women in tech. The webinar was hosted by Systers, an AnitaB.org online community for women in computer science to network, share skills and support one another in their careers.
The TechTalk was attended by women from the United States, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Peace, a software developer at IBM, shared five insights into early career development for women in technology fields. Through her five lessons – have a passion for technology, believe in yourself, join peer groups, volunteer and always seek new learning opportunities – Peace hoped to motivate women to set ambitious goals and foster a community of peers and mentors. She encouraged the women to “learn and unlearn” and to pursue opportunities that will expand their skillset and develop their worldview.
Report Date...: 5/20/19
