Impact Stories from Youth Engagement Policy Area

Fellow appointed Global Ambassador for learning platform

Fellow(s): Asna Javed

Country: Pakistan

Cohort: 2019

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

2019 fellow Asna Javed was introduced as the Global Ambassador for Al Nafi in a recent video interview. Al Nafi is an online learning platform that provides multilingual career counseling and guidance to youth looking for jobs in emerging technologies. She highlighted the need for platforms like Al Nafi that provide free and acccessible STEM education to underprivelieged youth in many different countries who otherwise wouldn’t have many opportunities to learn about technology. Asna, a lead developer advocate at IBM Pakistan, also talked about her journey to becoming a successful IT professional while also being differently-abled as she was born without arms. Though it was not easy to convince people she was just as technically capable as they were, she credits her perserverance and resilience to not give up on herself and encourages others to do the same: “If things don’t work out, try again. If that particular thing is not for you, try something else, but don’t give up.”

Report Date...: 8/16/21

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

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

Fellow delivers guest lecture on women in technology fields

Fellow(s): Sebay Koroma

Country: Sierra Leone

Cohort: 2018

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

This week, 2018 fellow Sebay Koroma delivered a guest lecture to students at the Canadian College of Modern Technology in Mafunde, Sierra Leone. Sebay works as a petroleum engineer for the Sierra Leone Petroleum Directorate in addition to serving as a Next Einstein Forum ambassador. Her lecture, themed on women’s participation in technology, outlined the “stereotype threat” – a phenomenon where people conform to stereotypes about their social group – and how it may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in tech fields. “We talked about seeing effort as a path to mastery, persevering in the face of challenges, taking constructive criticism in stride and being inspired by the success of others,” Sebay said. Together, the group discussed why diversity matters, and how it leads to innovation, better performance and role models for youth. “As a STEM Enthusiast, it is always an honor to lend my voice to conversations about technology,” said Sebay. “What better way to give back than to share knowledge with young, vibrant scholars?”

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

In speech fellow inspires girls in STEM4Girls program

Fellow(s): Salma Bekkouche

Country: Algeria

Cohort: 2018

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

2018 fellow Salma Bekkouche recently spoke to 40 high school girls in four cities throughout Algeria, sharing about her international education experience and giving advice on career challenges and opportunities. The event was organized by World Learning Algeria with sponsorship from the U.S. Embassy Algiers.

The girls, ages 14-17, are participants in World Learning’s STEM4Girls program, an initiative that trains girls in STEM activities and supports them with career planning. Salma, who has previously served as a World Learning speaker and participated in their TechCamp, is a recruiter and blogger with a mission to empower Algerian youth. On her blog and YouTube channel, Salma Share, Salma gives career advice for young people and shares her international education experiences with TechWomen, TechGirls and more. In her World Learning talk, Salma spoke about her educational and career path, sharing ways the girls can develop their careers through volunteering, mentorship and network-building. “I met enthusiastic and ambitious girls who are eager to learn about applying to TechGirls, finding opportunities around the world and joining STEM universities after high school,” she said.

Report Date...: 7/12/21

Fellow featured in article as a prominent woman in STEM

Fellow(s): Madina Samakbaeva

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2020-2021

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

2020-2021 fellow Madina Samakbaeva was recently featured in an article written in partnership between Girls in Science, Kyrgyzstan’s Child Protection Center and UNICEF. Madina is a quality control chemist for the Kyrgyz Republic’s Center for Veterinary Diagnostics and Expertise, as well as the founder of Easysciencekg, a platform that provides easy and accessible chemistry lessons to both children and adults. She has also contributed to TechWomen fellow-led Techaim, most recently creating a video for kids on determining pH and how it affects our health on their new STEAM channel, WeSTEAM. Beginning in 2019, Madina began volunteering with the Girls in Science Project, first creating STEM curriculum and now mentoring 12 girls on their career planning. “My TechWomen experience as a mentee has helped me to build and organize their mentorships,” she said.
In the article, Madina spoke about the challenges she faced as woman in chemistry, remembering how she was often told a career in science would interfere with getting married and having children. “Even those closest to me said, ‘You chose science, so, you will never build a family life,’” Madina said. “At the same time, none of them thought about what useful things I can do as I develop in science.” Madina also gave advice for youth in Kyrgyzstan who are considering STEM fields: “Science is not something unattainable. Do not be afraid to go into science — you need to be open, try and find your own way,” she said.

Report Date...: 6/28/21

At CodeHack fellows come together to support girls

Fellow(s): Ruth Kaveke and Joan Nabusoba

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2017, 2020-2021

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

This week, fellows and co-founders of Pwani Teknowgalz Ruth Kaveke (2017) and Joan Nabusoba (2020-2021) invited three fellows to serve as judges for CodeHack, their latest project that trains young women with digital skills. With five STEM Café programs at American Corners throughout Kenya, coding classes, conferences and more, Pwani Teknowgalz aims to educate and empower girls through STEM education.
Their first CodeHack cohort – referred to as their “COVID-19 Edition” – worked with 150 young women ages 17 to 28 from marginalized communities in six Kenyan counties, training them in website development, mobile development and digital marketing. “This is geared toward empowering these young women in Kenya with technology skills that have proved crucial during this COVID-19 pandemic,” the fellows said. In the closing session, young women from the CodeHack cohort shared their mobile application solutions that solve community problems in front of a panel of judges that included fellows Serah Kahiu (2014), Alice Mbui (2015) and Gladys Maina (2020-2021). “All the three fellows are role models and mentors that the aspiring young women could connect to and seek further mentorship after the program,” said Ruth. Together the fellows judged the most innovative solutions that align with the UN SDG goals, giving the teams feedback and ultimately choosing the top three winners. “Whether you’re a semi-finalist or finalist, we still count all of you as a success,” said Joan. “We are celebrating all of you, and all your efforts.”

Report Date...: 6/21/21

Fellow’s social impact initiative wins youth award

Fellow(s): Hiba Awaysa

Country: Palestinian Territories

Cohort: 2020-2021

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

This week it was announced that Sawaed19, the initiative founded by 2020-2021
fellow Hiba Awaysa, was named a winner of the Taawon Youth Award, an award
that supports social entrepreneurs in the Palestinian Territories that are creating
both economic and societal impact. Sawaed19 was one of five winners selected
out of over 100 projects.
Hiba established Sawaed19 in 2019 with a mission to match volunteers to nonprofits
around the world. The Sawaed19 website allows users to search by
location, industry and company, supporting them in contributing to the volunteer
ecosystem in their communities. Through Sawaed19, Hiba hopes to empower her
local community, particuarly youth, to create positive change. She will use the
award funds to further develop the platform, adding features that better
facilitates the volunteering process and management. She’ll also create a new
outreach campaign to encourage volunteering. “When you give others some
time, effort, or money to help them get better life, your are actually investing to
yourself in return,” she says.

Report Date...: 6/21/21

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