Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area
"Fellows announces partnership with UpLink at UN Summit"
Fellow(s): Fellows announces partnership with UpLink at UN Summit – Lindiwe Matlali
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
This fall at the United Nations Summit on Sustainable Development Goals in New York, Fellow Lindiwe Matlali (South Africa, 2017) announced a partnership between her initiative Africa Teen Geeks and UpLink, a division of the World Economic Forum (WEF) tasked with supporting innovation. Together they “hope to build a movement of teen innovators and raise awareness of sustainability issues around the globe,” she noted, with a program designed to arm the next generation of students with the hard and soft skills needed to lead creative STEM-based innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.
Lindiwe became a contributing writer, interviewer, speaker and panelist for the WEF after winning their Social Innovator award in 2020. She also spoke at their Pioneers of Change event in 2020 and interviewed African-American tech-preneur and inventor of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Marian Croak, about whom she is also producing a documentary.
In her involvement with the WEF, Lindiwe is particularly focused on democratizing access to power and influence by bringing in children from disadvantaged communities to participate in the exclusive business network. “How can we take children with skills and talent and put them in front of someone who can make it happen for them?” she asks. “This is really about teaching kids how to innovate for non-consumption and innovate themselves out of poverty. It’s about leveling the playing field and a creating an ecosystem of innovators who can access WEF networkers, the people looking for those innovations,” Lindiwe expanded. “I want every kid to know that they can create global companies by serving the underserved.”
Report Date...: 11/21/2022
"Fellows present EmpowerHER initiative idea to World Bank"
Fellow(s): Fellows present EmpowerHER initiative idea to World Bank – Inobat Allobergenova, Elmira Obry, Emma Mphalele, Hadiza Abdullahi, Hajar Salamt, Iman Dankar and Syeda Sadaf Shah
Country: Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fall 2022 Fellows Inobat Allobergenova (Uzbekistan), Elmira Obry (Kazakhstan), Emma Mphalele (South Africa), Hadiza Abdullahi (Nigeria), Hajar Salamat (Morocco), Iman Dankar (Lebanon) and Syeda Sadaf Shah (Pakistan) recently teamed up to present a multi-national initiative idea at the World Bank in Washington DC. These seven fellows conceived of the project, EmpowerHER, to introduce girls from rural areas aged 12 to 18 to STEM careers. With the motto “Small Money, Big Impact,” EmpowerHER will be focused on raising awareness of careers that address climate change and environmental issues. The presentation was met with great interest by the 35 World Bank personnel who welcomed the fellows at their Washington D.C. headquarters.
Inobat helped facilitate this meeting after having recently accepted a position with the World Bank in Uzbekistan as a natural resource management specialist.
Report Date...: 11/21/2022
Mentor(s): Mentor nominated for ADCOLOR in Tech award – Shadi Nayer
Company: TikTok
Mentor Type: Professional
Policy Area(s): Professional Development
Mentor Shadi Nayyer was recently honored as a nominee in Tech for the 16th annual ADCOLOR Awards.
“ADCOLOR honors leaders in the creative and tech industries for their achievements in supporting diverse communities, championing diversity in the workplace and rising up to take on challenges we face as minorities,” Shadi shared in a recent post. “I feel so privileged and honored to have been recognized for my work at TikTok and beyond in driving diversity, equity, and inclusion forward in Tech and Media.”
Shadi works as the Head of Community, North America, for the popular social media application TikTok, which has recently made efforts to better serve and credit its diverse field of content creators on the platform.
Report Date...: 11/21/2022
"Fellows wins Top 10 spot in UNFPA Innovation Challenge"
Fellow(s): Fellows wins Top 10 spot in UNFPA Innovation Challenge – Crescence Elodie
Country: Cameroon
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
WETECH, an initiative presided by fellow Crescence Elodie Nguimbus Nonga (Cameroon, 2018) was recently selected as one of 10 winners in the Joint Innovation Challenge 2022 “Positioning to Scale: Innovations to Empower Women and Girls,” sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Crescence founded WETECH (Women in Entrepreneurship and Technology), shortly after completing her TechWomen program, as a platform to develop a network of African women leaders in entrepreneurship and technology by offering opportunities, resources and mentorship.
The UNFPA works in concert with the World Intellectual Property Organization, the International Telecommunication Union, and the International Trade Center to fund woman-led social enterprises that develop solutions in the areas of maternal health, sexual and reproductive health, and gender-based violence.
Winners of the Joint Innovation Challenge sign a 9-month agreement with the UNFPA and receive an equity-free investment of $60,000 USD as well as customized mentorship and training opportunities provided by the UN network. WETECH was selected from a field of 300 submissions from 61 countries and 20 finalist pitches.
Report Date...: 11/14/2022
"Fellow earns state medal for labor achievements"
Fellow(s): Fellow earns state medal for labor achievements – Elmira Obry
Country: Kazakhstan
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Newly minted fellow Elmira Obry (Kazakhstan, Fall 2022) was recently awarded the Republic of Kazakhstan’s Yeren Enbegi Ushin Medal for labor achievements in the economy, social sphere, science, culture and public service by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Kemelevich. The honor was announced on October 21, during a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sovereign Republic of Kazakhstan.
Elmira is currently the CEO of the Bureau for Continuing Professional Development (BCPD) of the Astana International Financial Center (AIFC), which works to provide local professionals in the financial sector with professional and competency development opportunities.
“By combining international experience with local wisdom, being open to global opportunities, but at the same time preserving the unique identity of the region, we can achieve a lot,” she shared in a recent post to mark the occasion.
Report Date...: 11/14/2022
"Fellow speaks at World Conference on Volunteering"
Fellow(s): Fellow speaks at World Conference on Volunteering – Hiba Awaysa
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow Hiba Awaysa (2020-2021) recently gave a talk on enhancing the power of volunteering through technology at the International Association for Volunteering Efforts (IAVE) World Volunteer Conference held in Abu Dhabi this October. Among other topics, she discussed the history of volunteering in Palestine and milestones reached from 1903 until today.
Hiba is the Strategic Marketing Planning Unit Head of Paltel, a leading telecommunications company, and the founder of Sawaed19, a social startup that provides a space for major actors in the volunteering ecosystem to congregate on one, unified platform. Sawaed19 uses AI to make “smart matches” between entities such as NGOs with well-suited volunteers. It also provides a direct chatting function and a volunteering management system.
Report Date...: 11/14/2022
Fellow(s): Fellow speaks on LEAP Africa annual conference panel – Damilola Asaleye
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Damilola Asaleye (Nigeria, 2020-2021) recently spoke on a panel at LEAP Africa’s Social Innovators Program (SIPA) 2022 conference. LEAP Africa is “a youth-focused leadership development organization committed to raising leaders that will transform Africa.” Damilola highlighted her organizations, Ashdam Solar Company Limited and Girls and Women Technological Empowerment Organization (GWTEO), sharing her mission of “closing the gender gap in technology and bringing energy security to last-mile communities in Nigeria.” She also encouraged African youths to “develop sustainability through monitoring and evaluating their impacts starting from personal goals to organizational goals.” On top of this, Damilola was also recently named one of the Women’s Forum for the Economy and Society Rising Leaders Class of 2022.
Read More »Report Date...: 11/07/2022
"Fellow co-hosts blockchain education and wellness event"
Fellow(s): Fellow co-hosts blockchain education and wellness event – Eman Herawy
Country: Egypt
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow Eman Herawy (Egypt, 2022) recently co-hosted the “All-levels Web3 Education and Wellness Immersion” event with blockchain technology leaders at the American University in Cairo. Topics included Web3, DAO, NFTs, smart contracts, the Metaverse and blockchain education and applications in business.
Eman, a self-described “blockchain geek” and developer, is the founder of talent matchmaking hub Arabs in Blockchain, co-founder of NoonDAO, a decentralized autonomous organization focused on empowering Arab women in blockchain, and a co-organizer for Arab Blockchain Week, an annual hybrid conference for players and pioneers in blockchain tech.
“When I started in late 2017,” Eman reflected, “I had a dream to have a community that helps me to learn, inspires me and supports me when needed…and now I [have organized] my first in-person event, full day, at one of the best universities in Egypt.”
Report Date...: 11/07/2022
Mentor(s): Mentor recognized in Top 100 or DEIB – Paria Rajai
Company: ModelExpand
Mentor Type: Impact
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor Paria Rajai has been presented with a “Walk the Walk Award” by recruiting platform Untapped for their Top 100 Leaders in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) of 2022. Untapped is a fully virtual recruiting platform designed to help businesses ranging from startups to Fortune 500 companies develop globally representative workforces, develop engaging virtual content and measure return on investment for their DEIB efforts.
Paria is CEO of ModelExpand, “an inclusive workplace strategy firm focused on radically accelerating the presence of historically underrepresented talent in the workforce.” ModelExpand has brought inclusive hiring practices to brands including Levi’s, Lyft and Twitch. She previously worked in the Business and Human Rights Division at Yahoo. Paria has been an active mentor and delegate with TechWomen since 2014.
Report Date...: 10/31/2022
"Fellow leads UX workshop for EdTech platform"
Fellow(s): Fellow leads UX workshop for EdTech platform – Wadzanayi Kimberley Bwanya
Country: Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Wadzanayi Kimberley Bwanya (Zimbabwe, Spring 2022) recently led a UX Design workshop for students at Uncommon.org, an EdTech nonprofit. The training session included the topics of soft skills that define great designers, understanding problems before “diving into design” and methods for justifying design decisions.
Wadzanayi, a leader in UX design and development in her community in Bulawayo, is the founder and CEO of Beedesigned Studio, which provides UX services for socially-conscious organizations. She’s also the cofounder of Tea in 60, a platform for women and girls to network, co-mentor and share opportunities and learnings in STEM. Additionally, she recently served on an expert-led panel discussion, “Utilizing Technology for Growth,” an event sponsored by several tech hubs and studios in the Bulawayo region.
Report Date...: 10/31/2022
