Impact Stories from Public Health Policy Area

Fellow(s): Nezha Larhrissi

Country: Morocco

Cohort: 2013

Policy Area(s): Public Health

Fellow-led NGO, eSTEM Morocco, recognized by U.S. Ambassador to Morocco for Marrakech-Safi earthquake aid work

Fellow Nezha Larhrissi (Morocco, 2013), President of seed grant-funded NGO eSTEM Morocco, was invited for a special meeting with U.S. Ambassador to Morocco H.E Puneet Talwar to acknowledge and discuss the NGO’s intervention and aid efforts taken this fall following the 6.8 magnitude Marrakech-Safi earthquake in Morocco. ESTEM Morocco took part in a consortium of six other NGOs led by Association Maa Wa Namaa, which galvanized a caravan of relief workers to advance on the impacted region within 48 hours of the initial quake, offering field support to some 1300 families in 27 douars across Alhaouz, Taroudant, Chichaoua and Essaouira.

Nezha led a group of voluntary Moroccan IT engineers and oversaw the production of a portable mapping system, SeismeHUB, which provided timely insights pinpointing where urgent relief support was most needed across the more than 2000 douars severely impacted by the earthquake. In addition, eSTEM Morocco bridged and fostered connections between various working groups supporting communication, medical aid, field operations, reconstruction, digital data processing, fundraising, documentation and finance.

“On the ground we took also care of talking to women and girls, trying to provide presence and psychological relief,” Nezha detailed in recent communications.

The results of the response efforts can be found in an Arabic-language report prepared by Maa Wa Namaa.

Report Date...: 12/25/2023

Fellow gives talk on upcoming public health initiative

Fellow(s): Aliaa Ahmed (Egypt, 2022)

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Professional Development, Public Health

Fellow Aliaa Ahmed (Egypt, 2022) recently delivered an address unveiling an upcoming public health campaign at 4th International Annual Conference of the Egyptian Academy of Bone Health and Metabolic Bone Disease in Cairo. Representing the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), where she serves as the Growth Lab’s Head of the Nutrition and Research Unit, Aliaa outlined their upcoming Vitamin-D centered wellness initiative to promote national health outcomes, particularly in the elderly population, by raising awareness, distributing supplements, and providing educational resources on the vital role of Vitamin D in health. In her role at EFB, Aliaa shapes public programming and data-driven reporting. She is also the founder of Dep-Nomken, an initiative addressing the nutritional needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and a public health and nutrition lecturer at both the American University in Cairo and Tanta University.

Report Date...: 11/20/2023

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Fellow hosts chemistry educators event at UNILAG

Adetoun was commended on her food insecurity research at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.

Fellow Adetoun Akitoye (Nigeria, 2022), a lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), recently hosted the Women Chemistry Educators Network event, “Shaping the Future: Teaching and Mentorship for Women Chemistry Educators,” supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The gathering brought together leaders in academia to explore the transformative role of mentorship and continuous learning in the sciences.

Adetoun, who mentors undergraduates and champions innovation and food security research at the university, led the event with a focus on community, growth, and collaboration. During a presentation of her work at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, she was commended by U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. for her efforts to combat food insecurity in her country.

Report Date: 04/07/2025

Fellow shares fintech insights on KIMEP Early Career panel

Fellow Zhanargul Izimova (Kazakhstan, 2018) recently spoke at the Early Career panel session hosted at KIMEP University, engaging students and aspiring professionals on the future of FinTech and the power of mentorship. The event, organized by Early Career Women in Tech® Kazakhstan and the Executive Education Center at KIMEP, centered on how young professionals can enter and thrive in the fast-changing tech landscape.

Zhanargul, FS Consulting Practice Leader for Eurasia Advisory, shared practical advice for those launching their careers, emphasizing that success in FinTech requires adaptability, technical fluency, and a user-first mindset—key qualities that set it apart from traditional finance. Most importantly, she underscored the role of mentorship as essential to professional growth.

“The principle of Giving Back, which I was imbued with during the TechWomen Program, is the basis of a strong professional community,” she shared in a recent post. “By helping today, we shape the leaders of tomorrow.”

Report Date: 04/07/2025