Impact Stories from Youth Engagement Policy Area
Fellows hold first TechWomen Nigeria Alumnae Conference
Fellow(s): Dr. Joy Agene, Damilola Ade, Carolyn Seaman, Busayo Durojaiye, Olasimbo Sojinrin, Olamide Ayeni Babajide, Ogu Maduewesi
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2014, 2015, 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Recently, fellows from multiple TechWomen cohorts collaborated to host the first TechWomen Nigeria Alumni conference, an interactive one-day event for STEM professionals, social entrepreneurs and women in tech. The conference was held in partnership with the U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria as well as the Entrepreneurship & Skill Development Centre of the University of Lagos.
With a theme of Advancing the Global Leadership of Nigerian Women in STEM, the conference convened over 200 women for a day of in-depth group discussion, panels, keynotes and Q&A’s with local women leaders. Alongside Consul General Claire Pierangelo, TechWomen fellows Dr. Joy Agene (2014) and Damilola Ade (2017) opened the event, introducing TechWomen’s mission of empowering international women in STEM fields. 2017 fellow Carolyn Seaman, founder of Girls Voices Initiative, led a panel with local founders, entrepreneurs and academics on how to empower women and girls in technology. Later, 2014 fellow Busayo Durojaiye, CEO of BusinessBrace360, was joined by 2015 fellow Olasimbo Sojinrin of Solar Sister and 2017 fellow Olamide Ayeni Babajide of Pearl Recycling for a discussion that shared best practices on building confident tech entrepreneurs. After breakout sessions and practical workshops themed on soft skills for women in tech, tech entrepreneurship and tips for the 2020 TechWomen application, 2014 fellow Ogu Maduewesi closed out the day, sharing takeaways and encouraging participants to continue to strengthen the network of women in STEM in Nigeria.
Report Date...: 1/27/20
Fellow founds sustainability initiative to empower women
Fellow(s): Ryme Assaad
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2018 fellow Ryme Assaad recently co-launched Rise2030, a green tech initiative that empowers underserved communities through training, education and empowerment. Ryme, the initiative’s co-founder and executive director, is also the co-founder of My ioLab, the 2018 seed grant-winning initiative from team Lebanon. Rise2030 received funding from GIZ, a German-based company that supports companies and foundations in achieving the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Through providing solar training for youth, women and refugees, Rise2030 has a mission to upskill vulnerable populations and enable them to contribute to a sustainable future in Lebanon. Rise2030 has already launched an all-women solar team to train community members in Qaroun to design and install an on-grid solar photovoltaic system at a local waste sorting facility. In addition to solar training, the team plans to support rural women-run businesses and implement literacy training for Syrian refugees in Lebanon.
Report Date...: 1/27/20
Fellows launch TIKE a social impact project for educators
Fellow(s): Imene Henni Mansour, Celia Ouabas
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2019 fellows Imene Henni Mansour and Celia Ouabas launched TIKE (Teacher’s Initiative for Kids Education), a program that supports Algeria’s educators in order to positively impact students and improve the country’s education system.
The fellows began their project during the 2019 action-planning process, working alongside their country teammates to address Algeria’s high student drop-out rate. At TIKE’s first workshop, the fellows gathered local primary school teachers to share their experiences and challenges. “Teachers are the pioneers of the whole educational system,” says Celia. “By creating a network and offering a space, support and guidance for them to exchange about the struggles and challenges they go through in their daily job, we work together towards finding effective solutions.”
Report Date...: 1/27/20
TechWomen and TechGirls kick-off club activities at summit
Fellow(s): Sitora Salaeva, Sevara Siradjeva, Ozoda Ismailova, Shodiyabegim Bakhtiyorzoda, Munira Begmuratova, Elena Selezneva, Saida Yusupova, Elvira Sheina, Natalya Yusupova, Yulduz Khudaykulova, Mariya Savatyugina, Nargiza Kholmatova, Zebinisa Mirakbarova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, TechWomen and TechGirls alumnae convened in Tashkent for the inaugural Uzbekistan Alumnae Summit, a gathering where alumnae connected, planned for future collaborations and established Uzbekistan’s TechWomen/TechGirls Club chapter. TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs provide a space for career counseling, mentoring, leadership development and more. Launched in 2018, the cross-program clubs expanded from seven program countries in MENA to now include four more countries in CSA.
The event was organized by the coordinating committee that consists of 2019 fellow Sitora Salaeva, 2016 fellows Sevara Siradjeva and Ozoda Ismailova, as well as TechGirls alumnae Sadiya Abbasova and Sevara Akramkhanova. They were joined by fellows Shodiyabegim Bakhtiyorzoda (2015), Munira Begmuratova (2016), Elena Selezneva (2016), Saida Yusupova (2016), Elvira Sheina (2017), Natalya Yusupova (2017), Yulduz Khudaykulova, (2018), Mariya Savatyugina (2019), Nargiza Kholmatova (2019) and Zebinisa Mirakbarova (2019) and representatives of the U.S Embassy Joanne Kramb and Utkirbek Tadjimov.
The alumnae worked in small teams based on their expertise and interests, brainstorming solutions to leading issues in their communities and participating in sessions where TechGirls alumnae gathered valuable career advice from TechWomen fellows. Throughout the day, the participants fulfilled a foundational goal of the clubs: to encourage connection and to empower TechWomen to mentor and support TechGirls. Looking forward, the teams plan to reconvene for a second summit in July to share the progress made on implementing their projects.
Report Date...: 1/20/20
Fellow wins Zero Project Award for EdTech platform
Fellow(s): Angele Messa
Country: Cameroon
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2019 fellow of Cameroon Angele Messa won the Zero Project Award for her initiative, EduClick. This year’s awards were given to practices and policies that support people with disabilities within education. Angele will be presented with the award next month at the United Nations in Vienna, Austria.
Angele founded the EdTech platform to offer alternative learning methods for those who don’t have access to formal education in Cameroon. With both offline and online educational methods, EduClick supports students, recent graduates and young professionals who are looking to gain marketable skills. They also offer an after-school program that includes STEM Labs and workshops, introducing students to VR, game development, puzzles and more. EduClick also recently debuted an extracurricular STEM Saturdays program designed to make STEM exciting and fun for young children. In the future, Angele hopes to build education telecenters for refugees and displaced people.
Report Date...: 1/20/20
Alumnae host Technovation kickoff event in Nablus
Fellow(s): Ayah Soufan, Yamama Shaka’a, Ruba Awayes, Waed Jabareen, Hiba Ghannam, Sondos Ibrahim, Mai Abuthraa
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This weekend, TechWomen fellows came together to organize
a Technovation challenge kickoff event Nablus that was
attended by over 100 girls and mentors. 2015 fellow Ayah
Soufan, who organized the event hosted by her employer,
Paltel, has been a Technovation Regional Ambassador since
2016.
Ayah was joined by 2016 fellow Yamama Shakaa, 2017 fellow
Ruba Awayes, 2018 fellow Waed Jabareen, and 2019 fellows
Hiba Ghannam, Sondos Ibrahim and Mai Abuthraa. The
fellows, who were also supported by two TechGirls alumnae,
spoke to the group of young girls and mentors about using
technology to spark social change. Technovation Girls
Palestine will be participating in the new season of the
Technovation Challenge, where groups of young girls come together to solve leading issues in their communities through technology.
Report Date...: 1/13/20
Fellows collaborate to support TechGirl’s professional journey
Fellow(s): Zainab Saleen, Maya Itani Shourbaji, Lara Chikhani, Rasha Sukkarieh
Country: Lebanon, Pakistan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Youth Engagement
Recently, TechWomen fellows joined forces to support a TechGirls alumna in pursuing her professional goals. Earlier this year, 2014 TechGirls alumna Greta Nehme met 2017 TechWomen fellows of Lebanon Maya Itani Shourbaji, Lara Chikhani and Rasha Sukkarieh at a TechWomen/TechGirls networking event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Greta, a newly graduated mechanical and aeronautical engineer, spoke to the fellows about her challenge finding work in her field within Lebanon.
After their conversation, the fellows connected Greta to 2017 fellow of Pakistan Zainab Saleem, who holds a master’s in aerospace and aeronautical engineering and works at Finland’s ICEYE as an attitude and orbit control system engineer. Zainab asked Greta to submit her resume and, after Zainab submitted a recommendation, Greta interviewed with ICEYE’s mechanical team and was offered an internship.
Greta traveled to Finland and began her internship at ICEYE this past October, working as an intern through the end of 2019. At the conclusion of her internship, she was offered a one-year job contract to continue working at ICEYE. “We often eat lunch together, and keep discussing where she can apply for a master’s. She will also work with me in other STEM outreach activities,” says Zainab. “The world is huge! But impactful programs like these make the world so small and so beautiful.”
Report Date...: 1/6/20
Fellow is first African to win Digital Female Leader Award
Fellow(s): Lindiwe Matlali
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This past November, 2017 fellow of South Africa Lindiwe Matlali won the Education Award at the Digital Female Leader Awards, becoming the first African to win at the ceremony. The annual awards are held by Global Digital Women and seek to amplify the work and stories of women leaders and changemakers. This year’s event, themed on “This is What Digital Female Leadership Looks Like,” considered 740 nominations from 19 countries spanning categories such as innovation, entrepreneurship and diversity.
Lindiwe was recognized for her work as the founder and CEO of Africa Teen Geeks, a computer science academy dedicated to teaching underserved communities within South Africa. “I am humbled, proud and honored that I have an opportunity to keep inspiring African girls to pursue STEM careers, work hard, dream big and serve others, because they don’t know where pursuing their passion with excellence and commitment could lead them,” said Lindiwe.
Report Date...: 1/6/20
Fellows host Tajikistan’s first Hour of Code for girls
Fellow(s): Mutriba Akhmedova, Anzurat Kosimova, Mahina Usmonova
Country: Tajikistan
Cohort: 2015, 2016
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2015 fellow Mutriba Akhmedova and 2016 fellows Anzurat Kosimova and Mahina Usmonova held the inaugural Hour of Code in Tajikistan, traveling to five regions of the country to teach over 200 girls coding and computer science. The global Hour of Code program, now implemented in more than 180 countries, introduces youth to the fundamentals of programming and computer science.
The fellows implemented their project through a grant from the Alumni Small Grants Program offered by the U.S. Embassy in Tajikistan’s Public Affairs section. From December 7 to 23, they traveled throughout Tajikistan with a mission to bridge the gender gap in STEM, holding coding classes that familiarized girls with programming basics and instilled in them a curiosity to pursue STEM fields.
In Dushanbe, Khujand, Dj.Rasulov, Kulob and Bokhtar, the fellows met with over 200 girls ages 10-18 to teach a one-day course on coding. During the day of skill-building, the girls were encouraged to creatively solve problems, develop their design thinking abilities and understand the basics of IT and STEM. “This is just the beginning,” says Anzurat. “Children are the future of Tajik society. They have to gain good skills and knowledge, and we are here to support them. We have many fresh ideas to implement in the near future. TechWomen makes us social-oriented and we are ready to make a difference in our lovely country!”
Report Date...: 12/30/19
TechWomen and TechGirls launch alumnae platform
Fellow(s): Nisreen Deeb,Ghana Bteich, Lara Chikhani, Rasha Sukkarieh
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2013, 2015, 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, alumnae from the TechWomen and TechGirls programs unveiled USALTech, a club and online platform that connects Lebanese exchange program alumnae, promotes opportunities for women and girls in STEM and encourages its members to share their skills and expertise.
In partnership with Legacy International and two TechGirls alumnae, fellows Nisreen Deeb (2013), Ghana Bteich (2015) and 2017 fellows Lara Chikhani and Rasha Sukkarieh hope to create monthly meetings and programming that nurture the ecosystem of local women and girls in STEM fields. The group’s first event, “Introduction to the TechGirls and TechWomen Programs,” will invite local girls and women in STEM to learn more about the TechGirls and TechWomen programs as well as network with peers in their fields.
Report Date...: 12/30/19
