Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area

Fellow enters organizational leadership master’s program

Fellow(s): Noran Buzgaia

Country: Libya

Cohort: 2023

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

Fellow enters organizational leadership master’s program

“Libyan corporate culture, get ready! A passionate TechWomen alumna is on the way to transform perspectives on psychology and business,” shared fellow Noran Buzgaia (Libya, 2023), who recently started a master’s degree in organizational leadership at Guglielmo Marconi University in Italy.

With a 10-year career blending psychology, humanitarian work, financial technology and business administration, Noran is on a mission to bring a more human-centric approach to organizational psychology in Libya.

“My experience in tech corporate,” she explained, “revealed how psychology, people management, and leadership intersect beautifully in business… influencing employee happiness, satisfaction, and organizational success.”

Report Date...: 08/12/2024

Fellow authors book chapter on MENA energy transitions

Fellow(s): Jessica Obeid

Country: Lebanon

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow authors book chapter on MENA energy transitions

Fellow Jessica Obeid (Lebanon, 2012), founding partner at New Energy Consult, has contributed a chapter entitled “The Next Big Thing in MENA Power – Grids and Energy Storage” to the Middle East Institute Policy Series book, “Energy Transitions in the Middle East.”
The book published in January 2024 with anthology editors Katherine Wolff and Karen E. Young, is described as “an account of the challenges Middle Eastern states will face in navigating the global energy transition, as well as their key areas of opportunity.”
Jessica is an energy expert with experience in engineering, thinks tanks and consulting on the development of sustainable energy systems.

Report Date...: 04/29/2024

Fellow makes history as first Egyptian to deliver an address at the World Down Syndrome Day hosted by the UN in New York

Fellow(s): Aliaa Ahmed

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Professional Development, Public Health

Fellow Aliaa Ahmed (Egypt, 2022) recently made history as the first Egyptian to address the Down Syndrome Conference on World Down Syndrome Day hosted by the United Nations in New York March 21 to 22. Representing the Egyptian Down Syndrome Foundation, Aliaa presented the results of her master’s thesis on health justice and equality, with a focus on the role of healthcare providers in implementing mental health support and health justice for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She also proposed a model tailored to developing countries, as opposed to the method of adopting models from advanced nations that may not suit the circumstances of all nations. Aliaa graduated from Tanta University’s College of Pharmacy and currently holds the position of Senior Manager of Program Strategies at Egyptian Food Bank Labs. She is also an adjunct lecturer at the American University in Cairo. Her advocacy is rooted in her personal experience as the mother of a daughter born with Down syndrome, to whom she refers to as “Sophie the Spark.” Aliaa developed the first national awareness campaign for individuals with Down syndrome, elevating understanding and awareness of the chromosomal anomaly through events such as marathons and conferences attended by influential figures, artists and media outlets. Aliaa has worked tirelessly at “preparing the world to embrace her [daughter] as she deserves,” she says. “Through our findings, we aim to empower the often-silenced voices in healthcare

Report Date...: 4/22/2024

Fellow addresses Kazakh British Technical University

Fellow(s): Chinwendu Nweke

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow Chinwendu Nweke (Nigeria, 2022) recently delivered a lecture on her journey as a female agricultural entrepreneur at the Kazakh British Technical University (KTBU) in Almaty. She shared her experiences overcoming obstacles faced by women in Nigeria’s agricultural sector—including limited access to resources, land ownership and decision-making processes—to found Bridge Merchant, a successful social enterprise dedicated to connecting smallholder farmers with diverse markets. “During our recent event at KBTU,” an event organizer shared in a recent post, “Chinwendu Nweke enthralled the audience with her remarkable story, unveiling the challenges she faced and the continuous process of learning and unlearning that kept her vision and passion for Bridge Merchant alive.”

Report Date...: 04/22/2024

Fellow moderates panel on human capital development

Fellow(s): Zhanargul Izimova

Country: Kazakhstan

Cohort: 2018

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow Zhanargul Izimova (Kazakhstan, 2018) recently moderated a panel session “Human Capital Development,” for the CDS Cyber and Digital Security Forum, an exhibition of information security technologies and strategies held in Astana, Kazakhstan in April. “The topic is not new, but it is more relevant than ever,” she expressed in a recent post. “Studies show that there is a global crisis of human capital, and the overturn productivity of employees is decreasing every year.” Zhanargul is a digital transformation strategist in financial tech with over 15 years of experience in sales, marketing, business development and management.

Report Date...: 04/22/2024

Fellow featured in BBC Africa article as satellite work pioneer

Fellow(s): Marie Makuate

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development, Public Health, Youth Engagement

Report Date...: 04/15/2024

Fellow honored with dinner by Swedish Ambassador

Fellow(s): Mahitab Elramal

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow Mahitab Elramal (Egypt, 2022), as a 2018 winner of the She Entrepreneur Award, was recently invited by Swedish Ambassador to Egypt H.E. Mr. Håkan Emsgård to attend a Ramadan dinner honoring Egyptian women entrepreneurs. She Entrepreneurs, sponsored by the Swedish Institute, is an exchange leadership program that promotes skill-building and networking for social entrepreneurs from the Middle East and North Africa. In 2017, Mahitab founded Elzeet Initiative to promulgate the recycling of used cooking oil into biofuels. She currently works as a team member on the Egyptian Ministry of Environment’s Green Climate Fund National Designated Authority.

Report Date...: 04/15/2024

Fellow appears on debut webisode of new UX series

Fellow(s): Roshaan Sheikh

Country: Pakistan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

Fellow Roshaan [Saeed] Sheikh (Pakistan, 2022) recently appeared as a user experience (UX) expert for the debut webisode of Design Café, a series developed by UX company Design Peeps to offer expert insights into tech products. In this episode, Roshaan and Design Peeps CEO Usman Fiaz offer an in-depth comparison of global ride-hailing apps Indrive and Careem. Roshaan co-founded online artists’ marketplace, Stipple, and works as a consultant and product owner for fintech company Kistpay. She was recently named a fellow of United People Global, a UN Sustainable Development Goals-focused non-profit based in Geneva, Switzerland.

Report Date...: 4/15/2024

Mentor(s): Aliya Janjua

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

Mentor Aliya Janjua, an executive leader, mentor and speaker with over 20 years of experience, recently served as a guest speaker for the launch of Women in Sustainable HR, a nonprofit based in Lahore, Pakistan, aiming to develop a global community of women in human resources to lead workplace sustainability efforts. “The journey to make change becomes easier when you meet like minded passionate people with the same values as you,” Aliya shared in a recent post.

Report Date...: 04/08/2024

Fellow wins Tech Award for Muslim Women in Business

Fellow(s): Sheikha Dhiyebi

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2023

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

Fellow Sheikha Dhiyebi (Kenya, 2023) recently won the Muslim Women in Business Award for Women in Technology, in an annual event hosted by the Muslim Media Company on March 8, International Women’s Day. “Gratitude fills my heart for this recognition,” Sheikha shared in a recent post. She is the founder of Web Solutions Kenya, a full-service web design company based in Mombasa that specializes in website design, development and marketing.

Report Date...: 04/08/2024

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