Impact Stories from Entrepreneurship Policy Area

Fellow holds Women in Tech Summit with alumnae support

Fellow(s): Sabina Nforba, Janet Fofang, Sophie Ngassa, Dr. Ngwashi Christabel and Enyong-Eta Grateful

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2013, 2014, 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth

Last month, 2020-2021 fellow Sabina Nforba held the inaugural Women in Tech Summit, collaborating with TechWomen alumnae to share best practices on empowering women in STEM fields. The summit was hosted by AfriTech Hub, the organization Sabina co-founded that empowers young students to pursue STEM education and STEM careers.
The summit convened over 100 women in technology in Cameroon for a day of networking and knowledge-sharing. Fellows Janet Fofang (2013), Sophie Ngassa (2014), Dr. Ngwashi Christabel (2020-2021) and Enyong-Eta Grateful (2020-2021) joined as featured speakers, presenting on the importance of women in leadership, Cameroon’s digital transformation and more. Enyong-Eta facilitated a workshop called Brand-Up, drawing inspiration from Rock Your LinkedIn Profile, a TechWomen 2020-2021 event. There, she encouraged participants to optimize their profiles in order to self-promote and attract opportunities.
Since the summit, Sabina and her team have created Slack channels to facilitate conversation, mentorship and collaboration among attendees and speakers. “The summit overall was a huge success,” she said. “The turnout was not only beyond expectation but the speakers were very transparent about their experiences — a quality that is not very common.” Next, AfriTech Hub will organize a coding bootcamp for women with no previous experience to support them in transitioning to tech careers.

Report Date...: 8/9/21

Alumnae work together for new sustainability initiative

Fellow(s): Elena Selezneva, Saida Yusupova, Erin Keeley, Gisele Beatrice Sonfack

Country: Cameroon, United States, Uzbekistan

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth

2016 fellows of Uzbekistan Elena Selezneva and Saida Yusupova collaborated with 2016 fellow of Cameroon Gisele Beatrice Sonfack and mentor Erin Keeley to deliver workshops on mentorship and best practices for mentoring women in technology. The workshops were organized by Tech4Impact, the initiative Elena and Saida founded that nurtures IT, innovation, green tech and women’s entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. They recently launched their latest project, Accelerating Women’s Climate Change Tech Startups in Uzbekistan, with funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund. The two-year project will train and support women in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan, helping them establish businesses and initiatives that address the social and economic effects of climate change. The program includes a six-month accelerator program that will establish a culture of mentorship in the region and connect women-led startups to investors.
Elena and Saida recruited Erin and Gisele to deliver workshops for Tech4Impact’s trainers, sharing best practices in mentorship and how mentors can support and guide mentees. Erin, the global director of engineering at Hitachi GST, also spoke about the green tech ecosystem in Silicon Valley, sharing various initiatives that aim to combat the climate crisis. Gisele, a current Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future fellow, spoke about setting SMART Goals, mentoring techniques and the importance of mentoring women in STEM fields. “We are very thankful to TechWomen community for connecting us all and supporting us for all these years,” said Elena.

Report Date...: 8/2/21

Fellows featured in ShareAmerica article

Fellow(s): Nisreen Deeb, Faten Khalfallah Hammouda

Country: Jordan, Tunisia

Cohort: 2013, 2015

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

2013 fellow of Jordan Nisreen Deeb and 2015 fellow of Tunisia Faten Khalfallah Hammouda were featured in an article this month from ShareAmerica, a platform of the U.S. Department of State that shares stories of innovation, education, the role of civil society and more. Nisreen is a computer scientist, founder of Girls Got IT and the director of the Lebanese League for Women in Business. Faten is the founder of First Skills Club, a STEM education initiative that introduces Tunisia’s youth to technologies such as mobile apps, robotics, electronics, design and 3D printing. The article highlights both the TechWomen and the TechGirls programs, outlining Nisreen and Faten’s TechWomen journeys and the program’s influence on their leadership skills and dedication to investing in the next generation of women in STEM fields. “I love mentoring girls and guiding them to be future female leaders,” said Faten. Both Nisreen and Faten have been involved with TechGirls: Nisreen collaborated with TechGirls alumnae for a Girls Got IT event, and Faten was selected as a flight chaperone for Tunisian TechGirls participants.

Report Date...: 8/2/21

Mentor(s): Jill Finlayson (mentor)

Company: Expanding Diversity and Gender Equity in Tech (EDGE) at the University of California

Mentor Type: Impact

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth

Mentor Jill Finlayson recently moderated a conversation on diversity, equity and inclusion, speaking with the head of DEI at Siemens, USA. Jill is the director of Expanding Diversity and Gender Equity in Tech (EDGE) at the University of California, and has been moderating a regular speaker series that spotlights corporate leaders making a difference in the DEI space. In her most recent conversation with Nichelle Grant, Jill and her co-moderator explore Siemens’ successes and strategies in order to encourage other leaders and companies to create a more equitable workplace for all. Nichelle emphasized that values around DEI must become a part of the fabric of a company: “Our mandate is that the DEI spans across all the nooks and crannies of the organization,” she said. “It’s how we do business.” Jill also spoke about the power of allyship, sharing that it is everyone’s responsibility to contribute to an equitable workplace: “Just like how microaggressions make people want to leave, microaffirmations make people want to stay,” she said.

Report Date...: 8/2/21

TechWomen alumnae celebrate International Day of Friendship

Fellow(s): Salma Bekkouche, Fatima Zohra Benhamida, Edith Mugehu, Flora Asibe, Laura Messerschmitt, Noha Elkattan

Country: Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, United States, Zimbabwe

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement

July 30 is the United Nations International Day of Friendship, a day that recognizes the power of establishing strong ties, building bridges and working together for positive change. Proclaimed an official day in 2011, the International Day of Friendship acknowledges that unity and cross-cultural understanding are essential to peace-building. In celebration, the TechWomen blog features three stories of friendship, mentorship and collaboration from the TechWomen fellows and mentors themselves. The stories – from Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, the United States and Zimbabwe – show the power of friendship and support, and the impact created when extraordinary women unite.
2018 fellow of Algeria Salma Bekkouche writes about her friend and mentor, 2017 fellow Fatima Zohra Benhamida, sharing how Fatima supported her through her studies, encouraged her to apply for TechWomen and mentored her through some of her greatest challenges. 2018 fellow of Zimbabwe Edith Mugehu and 2020-2021 fellow of Nigeria Flora Asibe share how they met in Kenya, beginning not only a treasured friendship, but also professional collaboration, leading them to co-author two papers on plant biotechnology and pathology. Professional Mentor Laura Messerschmitt and 2017 fellow of Egypt Noha Elkattan conclude with their story of mentorship and connection: “Throughout the TechWomen program, I have always felt like we were one family, accepting each other, embracing our differences, and sharing our culture,” Noha writes. “When differences melt and fade away, we become stronger and we lift each other up. Life is a big network that, if fed with love and respect, will become stronger and enlighten the whole world.”

Report Date...: 7/26/21

Fellows speak about gender equity at international forum

Fellow(s): Omnia Tayari and Nezha Larhrissi

Country: Libya, Morocco

Cohort: 2013

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth

2013 fellows Omnia Tayari (Libya) and Nezha Larhrissi (Morocco) were featured speakers at the Social Innovation and Global Ethics Forum, held by Horyou, a social network for changemakers. The forum focused on the UN Sustainable Development Goals, women empowerment and the future of finance. Omnia is the co-founder of BulbulHub Academy of Public Speaking as well as the founder of Oratoriia, an online program that educates and empowers young leaders. She was recommended as a speaker by Nezha, who recently left her role as the general manager Maghreb at Signify.“We reconnected last year and have remained in very close connection,” said Omnia. In her panel, Omnia joined international women in technology to speak about overturning gender roles, the achievements of women leaders globally and the need to empower women around the world. Nezha’s panel focused on how to achieve gender equality, with the panelists sharing their solutions and experiences with closing the gender gap in technology. “Nezha and I have learned a great deal from and through each other,” said Omnia. “Nezha reappeared in my life in the very right time. She exposed me to some great learning that would result into an exponential growth to my knowledge and skills, which allowed me to expand my impact and create greater transformation in my client’s lives.”

Report Date...: 7/26/21

Fellow launches SheTechs to empower girls with STEM skills

Fellow(s): Chioma Ezedi-Chukwu

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Youth Engagement

2016 fellow Chioma Ezedi-Chukwu recently launched SheTechs, a training program that educates girls ages 13-22 in web development, electronics and robotics skills. The program, launched in May 2021, is a part of Learn By Building, a foundation established by Chioma that implements her community-based programs. In addition to leading SheTechs, Chioma is the co-founder of STEMTeers, an initiative that engages secondary school students in STEM learning; STEMTeers has launched STEM clubs in 21 schools and has engaged over 500 students through its programming. Chioma was also named a Next Einstein Forum Ambassador, and will serve in the role through 2021.
The 15 girls in SheTech’s inaugural training, led by trainers funded by the Development Exchange Centre, began with a primer on computer basics, learning about the components of a computer as well as how to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and more. Shortly after, the group moved on to web development, studying HTML and experimenting with HTML code. “The participants had their first project practice on the topic, and created their first sign up page. It was an exciting moment for everyone because they all performed well,” says the SheTechs blog. This week, SheTechs began their second cohort, engaging a new group of girls in STEM skills. Chioma hopes to expand the program’s reach, and is seeking additional computers to include more girls.

Report Date...: 7/19/21

Fellow speaks about 21st century job skills in keynote

Fellow(s): Sarah Abdallah

Country: Lebanon

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement

2016 fellow Sarah Abdallah was invited as keynote speaker for the launch of Shabab Lab, the first social innovation e-learning platform in the Arab world. Sarah is a consultant, lecturer and community co-lead of Beirut’s Facebook Developer Circle. In the event, attended by Shabab Lab participants, Sarah addressed COVID- 19’s impact on the future of jobs, as well as the way it has created professional development challenges for youth and entrepreneurs. She emphasized the need for youth to be trained in 21st-century skills and work in partnership to create a more sustainable, innovative and equitable world: “If we go alone we can go faster, but if we go together we can go further,” she said. With the future of work bringing greater automation, Sarah shared the top 10 skills of 2025, which include creativity, analytical thinking and resilience. “The future is ahead of us. We can shape our own future. You are the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.

Report Date...: 7/19/21

Fellow shares entrepreneurship journey in Facebook event

Fellow(s): Ayesha Mumtaz Khan

Country: Pakistan

Cohort: 2019

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

This week, 2019 fellow Ayesha Mumtaz Kahn was featured in a Facebook Live event where she spoke about her journey as an entrepreneur and the lessons she has learned along the way. The Facebook Live was hosted by Circle, a Pakistani initiative with a mission to advocate for women empowerment through research, campaigns, capacitybuilding and workshops. Ayesha is the co-founder and CEO of Hop Orbits, an ecommerce platform that aims to democratize access to technology and create jobs in Pakistan. In the interview, Ayesha spoke about initially pursuing social sciences before discovering her passion for project management and digitization. Eventually, she co-founded her e-commerce company that currently primarily serves womenowned businesses: “I wanted to produce something that would serve my community,” she said. Ayesha also spoke about her TechWomen mentorship at Big Commerce, and gave advice to women embarking on their own entrepreneurial journey: “Women have to say yes to ourselves,” she said. “We have to say, ‘I can do it.’ There is no failure – there is only learning.”

Report Date...: 7/19/21

Mentor(s): Eileen Brewer

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth

This month, longtime mentor Eileen Brewer joined startup leaders
in a panel that explored best practices and challenges for womenled
startups and women entrepreneurs. The roundtable was
hosted by the Founder Institute, the world’s largest pre-seed
startup accelerator that has 21,000 mentors globally. Their
Female Founder Initiative aims to change the ratio of female
founders in over 65 countries.
Eileen is currently living in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, serving as
the director of Takween Accelerator, the first accelerator in the
country that supports local startups. In the panel, “Female
Startup Leadership: Lessons Learned Accelerating Global
Companies,” Eileen spoke about her mission to provide women equal opportunities as founders, as well as her
work that provides training to founders globally. “I became an investor to make a difference,” she said. “I want
to help entrepreneurs in spaces where they have the least amount of resources.”

Report Date...: 7/5/21

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