Impact Stories from Professional Growth Policy Area
Fellows speak about EdTech at YALI Connect
Fellow(s): Horore Bebga, Angele Messa
Country: Cameroon
Cohort: 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2018 fellow Horore Bebga and 2019 fellow Angele Messa were featured speakers at YALI Connect, a monthly event from the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI), an initiative from the U.S. Department of State that educates and connects the next generation of African leaders. The event, themed on education, was hosted by the YALI Regional Leadership Center in Dakar, Senegal, a space that offers training to young leaders from 16 African countries. Horore and Angele are both YALI alumnae. Angele is the founder of EduClick, an EdTech platform that offers alternative learning methods for those who don’t have access to formal education in Cameroon. Horore is the co-founder of Likalo Education, a STEM education initiative that empowers young people with 21st century skills. Likalo’s newest platform, Cyber Muna, offers media and online safety education for children and educational institutions. At the event, Horore and Angele shared their experiences and challenges working in education and answered questions from YALI alumnae about women in EdTech. “Horore and I unanimously believe African women have their part to play in education in general,” said Angele. “We don’t only believe they have a part to play, we believe they are the main players in the field.”
Read More »Report Date...: 12/29/2021
Fellow highlighted in CNN feature for empowering women
Fellow(s): Durdona Bakhronova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2020-2021 fellow Durdona Bakhronova was featured in a story on CNN, highlighted for her work mentoring women and youth in IT. In the interview, This woman wants more female coders in Uzbekistan, Durdona spoke about starting her career in coding without role models: “There were so few female representatives,” she said. “I decided to change that.”
Durdona works as a frontend developer for Super Dispatch, and is committed to empowering women and young people in Tashkent to pursue STEM fields. As a mentor, she encourages women to create products for their communities from the female perspective: “So many men try to build a product for everybody, but half of the population is women,” she said. Through her advocacy, Durdona hopes to communicate that anyone can be a mentor and role model: “What I do is contribute to the community in the form of meetups, developer festivals, etc. Other than that, I’m just a simple software engineer who just wants more women in IT.”
Report Date...: 12/29/2021
Fellows’ inspiring stories featured in Womenpreneur book
Fellow(s): Ouafa Benterki (Algeria, 2012), Layal Jebran (Lebanon, 2017) and Nevien Magdy (Egypt, 2019)
Country: Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon
Cohort: 2012, 2017, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
Fellows Ouafa Benterki (Algeria, 2012), Layal Jebran (Lebanon, 2017) and Nevien Magdy (Egypt, 2019) shared their stories of entrepreneurship and resilience for the Womenpreneur Tour book, a compilation of features spotlighting inspiring women in the MENA region. The Womenpreneur Initiative is a Brussels-based organization with a mission to advance and support women entrepreneurs and innovators in Belgium and MENA.
In 2019, the initiative embarked on the Womenpreneur Tour, traveling throughout MENA to meet inspiring women and hear their stories of entrepreneurship. Their book, “Women Turning Crises into Opportunities: 18 inspiring stories from Algeria, Egypt and Lebanon,” chronicles the journeys of the women they met, highlighting their career trajectories and the challenges they overcame. Ouafa is the founder and CEO of MTY Intelligent Software, the first women-led AI startup in Algeria. In her interview, she outlined the uphill battle she faced as a woman leader: “Every time I thought about quitting, though, I told myself if I don’t realize my dream no one else will do it for me.” In her feature, Nevien, the founder and CEO of UXit and Origin Technology Solutions, spoke about building company culture with a remote team and the drive required to start a business. Layal was highlighted as co-founder of Moubarmij, an Edtech platform that offers programming video tutorials in Arabic: “I don’t think entrepreneurs should ever stop if they truly believe in what they’re doing,” she said. 2019 fellow of Jordan Esra’a Alsanie, founder of environmental startup EnvaTechs, was also interviewed, sharing her entrepreneurial journey in a video feature.
Report Date...: 12/13/21
Fellow wins leadership award for women with disabilities
Fellow(s): Asna Javed Khan
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
2019 fellow Asna Javed Khan was awarded the Khadija Tul Kubra Awards Leadership Award for Women with Disabilities, recognized for her career success, advocacy and resilience. Held in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the annual ceremony honors the contributions and impact of women with disabilities in Pakistan. Asna is a lead developer advocate at IBM as well as the co-founder of Bachaoo, a child advocacy initiative that won a TechWomen 2019 seed grant. Earlier this year, Asna was featured in an IBM video sharing her story and inspiring others to overcome personal challenges.
This year’s Khadija Tuk Kubra Awards received a total of 118 nominations; seven women were selected, and Asna was the only winner representing the technology industry. She received her award from Kanwal Shauzab and Wajiha Qamar, members of Pakistan’s National Assembly. “Being differently-abled, I have always been active to advocate for people with diverse abilities,” Asna wrote. “I am truly honored to receive this award.”
Report Date...: 12/13/21
Fellow speaks about diversity and social impact on IGF panel
Fellow(s): Baratang Miya
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
2015 fellow Baratang Miya spoke on a high-level exchange panel at this month’s Internet Governance Forum, an annual event that brings together leaders from over 175 countries to dicuss internet-related public policy issues, address challenges and share best practices in over 300 sessions. For its 16th year the event was hosted by the Government of Poland and themed on “Internet United.”
Baratang is the founder of GirlHype, an initiative that empowers women and girls through tech training and digital literacy workshops. She also serves as the deputy chair for the South African Internet Governance Forum (ZAIGF). On her panel, Bara, alongside other international leaders, discussed how emerging technologies can successfully integrate goals of diversity, inclusivity and social responsibility. The panel also spoke about the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and how digital technology can create positive change. “This is truly a great achievement for me,” said Bara. “I know this might sound cliché, however it’s the truth: the TechWomen program gave me the courage to unleash the power in me I never had.”
Report Date...: 12/13/21
Fellow wins Women in STEM Champion Award
Fellow(s): Josephine Ndambuki
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last month, 2013 fellow of Kenya Josephine Ndambuki was named winner of the Women on Boards Network’s Women in STEM Champion Award, recognized for her STEM advocacy and leadership for women and girls in Kenya. The Women on Boards Network (WOBN) works to address the gender gap within corporate boards through supporting and promoting women leaders. This year’s inaugural WOBN Awards brought together women leaders in Kenya to celebrate gender parity on boards and honor those who have made significant contributions to gender diversity.
Josephine is the manager of economic development, partnerships and resource mobilization for Konza Technopolis, a mixed-use city and innovation hub that is a flagship program of Kenya’s Vision 2030 economic development portfolio. She is also the founder of DigitzeHer, an initiative that trains women and girls with digital skills. Last year, Josephine wrote a guest blog for TechWomen about her journey to Konza Technopolis, reflecting on her TechWomen experience that served as a catalyst for her personal and professional development.
The Women in STEM Champion Award recognizes a woman that has advocated for women in STEM fields, serving as a role model for women and girls in Kenya. “I take this with a lot of humility and dedicate this to the many women in STEM, HeForShe mentors and advocates, role models and organizations that I have had an opportunity to work with in this journey,” wrote Josephine. “We cannot afford to have a gender divide in the digital divide.”
Report Date...: 12/6/21
Fellow named to Engineer Talks advisory board
Fellow(s): Houda Chihi
Country: Tunisia
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Growth
This week, 2019 fellow Houda Chihi was named the newest member of the Engineer Talks advisory board, nominated to supervise training and talks for engineers in Tunisia. Houda is the chief engineer at Tunisie Telecom, Tunisia’s leading telecom operator. Recently, she spoke to PhD students on behalf of IEEE, presenting on gender equality, her career in engineering and the importance of mentorship.
Engineer Talks is a platform dedicated to educating and connecting engineers in Tunisia through webinars, workshops and mentorship. Their YouTube channel offers sessions from leading experts on AI, engineering leadership and making an impact in engineering fields. “Her presence will bring an incomparable wealth of knowledge. We are deeply grateful that this extraordinary individual has joined our efforts,” the Engineer Talks announcement said. In her role, Houda hopes to facilitate talks on mobile communication, 5G/6G technology and more.
Report Date...: 12/6/21
On panel fellow hears pitches from emerging entrepreneurs
Fellow(s): Alaa Fatayer
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Growth
2014 fellow Alaa Fatayer recently served on the jury panel for FinTech Camp Bootcamp, a two-day program that offered intensive training on financial modeling, FinTech and pitching to a small group of young entrepreneurs. The bootcamp was hosted by Flow Accelerator, an organization that facilitates innovation in the Palestinian Territories through training young entrepreneurs to create meaningful change in their communities, and was held in partnership with The National Bank Palestine.
Alaa is the head of innovation and entrepreneurship at Fikra, the innovation hub from the Paltel Group. For the past seven years she has also volunteered as a regional ambassador for the Technovation Challenge. At the conclusion of the bootcamp Alaa, alongside a jury of experts, heard 15 entrepreneurs from Gaza and the West Bank pitch their startup ideas. Together, the jury selected three entrepreneurs – founders of companies in the fields of business intelligence, insurance and data analytics – who will be enrolled in Flow Accelerator’s FinTech Camp, an incubation program that will support them in growing and expanding their businesses.
Report Date...: 12/6/21
In presentation fellow tells girls they are needed in STEM fields
Fellow(s): Sitora Salaeva
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2019 fellow Sitora Salaeva was a featured speaker at STEM Week, an online training program for girls led by 2021 TechGirls alumna Diyora Daminova. In partnership with the Academic Lyceum of Westminster at the International University in Tashkent (ALWIUT), STEM Week brought leadership development, resources and inspiring talks from women in STEM in Uzbekistan.
Sitora, who served on the planning committee for the inaugural 2020 Uzbekistan TechWomen/TechGirls Alumnae Summit, works as a software development engineer for the Bureau of Enforcement under the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan. Currently, she is pursuing her second master’s degree in cybersecurity in the UK. In her STEM Week presentation, Sitora spoke about choosing a career in STEM and why girls and women play a key role in STEM progress. “I shared innovative projects that failed until women were involved, because women can offer a different perspective on problem-solving,” she said. Through sharing the legacies of STEM pioneers like Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper, Sitora hoped to show the girls that they, too, can be contributors and leaders in STEM fields. “You can invent new things, you can help grow your country’s economy and you can help empower other girls to enter STEM,” she said. At the Q&A after her presentation, attendees had an opportunity to ask Sitora about the achievements she is the proudest of, who inspired her to enter STEM and ways they could pursue STEM through academics, extracurricular activities and international exchange programs like TechGirls and TechWomen.
Report Date...: 11/29/21
Fellow and TechGirls alumna collaborate to inspire girls in STEM
Fellow(s): Imene Henni Mansour
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2019 fellow Imene Henni Mansour was a guest speaker at Women Who STEM, a free online initiative that empowers women and girls to pursue STEM fields. Women Who STEM was founded by Youssra Bencherif, a 2021 TechGirls alumna from Algeria.
Imene and Youssra met during Youssra’s TechGirls 2021 interview, where Imene served on the interview panel. Youssra reached out to Imene shortly after the 2021 program concluded, asking her to get involved in her initiative. At the most recent event, Youssra invited women leaders to share their careers in STEM and give advice to girls on how to kickstart their STEM careers. In her talk, Imene, the CEO of InnoCom, spoke about computer science, entrepreneurship in Algeria and how volunteering helped her gain the soft skills required to create her own company. Imene told the girls that they must challenge themselves every day to be the best version of themselves: “As women entrepreneurs, we have to be bold and self-confident, because others can feel it,” she said. “I also advised them to always be self-learners, whatever their age, position or status.”
Report Date...: 11/29/21
