Impact Stories from Economic Impact Policy Area
Fellow wins 2020 OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award
Fellow(s): Chao Mbogo
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2017 fellow Chao Mbogo traveled to Seattle, Washington to receive the OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World at the annual American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Meeting.
The award, given in partnership by the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and the Elsevier Foundation, recognizes early-career researchers for their diverse accomplishments in engineering, innovation and technology. It also acknowledges the researchers’ commitment to leading and mentoring young scientists, and to improving lives and livelihoods in their communities. Chao, dean of the School of Science and Technology at Kenya Methodist University, was selected for her computer science research that supports students in resource-constrained environments to learn computer programming using mobile devices. Her work addresses barriers to learning, such as small screens and keypads, that make it difficult for students to use mobile phones for programming in areas where computers are not easily accessible.
“This award is a testament that designing technological tools that support learners is important and timely work, especially for students in developing countries who may not have much access to information or opportunities,” says Chao. “This award has acted as a strong reminder to me to never stop holding the ladder up for others.”
Report Date...: 2/17/20
Fellow named Youth Entrepreneur Influencer by Prime Minister
Fellow(s): Reema Diab
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2019 fellow Reema Diab recently presented at the National Forum for Young Entrepreneurs and Innovators, where she spoke about how TechWomen enhanced her professional experience and expanded her connections. During the Forum, Reema was named a Youth Entrepreneur Influencer by the Jordanian Prime Minister, Omar Razzaz, and was given an award to commemorate her efforts.
Reema was also recently invited by the British Embassy in Amman to be a guest speaker at the Chevening Fellow Dinner for fellows and NYU-Abu Dhabi students returning to Jordan. During her talk, Reema highlighted her work as the CEO of Galaxy, an IT non-profit organization dedicated to driving economic growth by hosting programs for youth and women in artificial intelligence, coding and more. In attendance at the event was the Jordanian Minister of Youth, Dr. Fares Braizat, who then invited Reema to be a consultant and Galaxy to be a partner for the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship’s National Youth Strategy.
Report Date...: 2/17/20
Fellow delivers speech at Microsoft Ignite in Dubai
Fellow(s): Hiba Shabrouq
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
After seeing a call for speakers on TechWomen’s Alumnae Facebook group, 2017 fellow Hiba Shabrouq applied and was selected as a featured speaker for Microsoft Ignite The Tour Dubai, held this week at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The event series travels to cities around the world, gathering guest speakers, industry experts and technologists for two days of professional development and technical training.
Hiba, a product marketing expert at Orange, gave a talk on public speaking for people in technology fields. During her session, she spoke about the structure of a good speech and provided tips and tricks for before and after a public speaking engagement. She also shared her own public speaking experience during TechWomen, recalling the advice she received from Impact Coach Erin Keeley just before she presented her action plan on TechWomen’s Pitch Day. “She told me to do the power pose,” says Hiba. “I shared it with the audience, and they were fascinated with it!”
Report Date...: 2/10/20
TechWomen shares upcoming delegation trip to Rwanda
Fellow(s):
Country: Rwanda, Tunisia, United States
Cohort: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, TechWomen published a blog post sharing the announcement of the two delegation trip countries for 2020: Rwanda and Tunisia. Delegations are a cornerstone of the TechWomen program, serving a vital role in growing and sustaining the TechWomen network. The trips strengthen an international network of women in STEM fields, creating partnership and exchange between the United States and TechWomen program countries.
Later this month, 18 TechWomen mentors will kick-off the first delegation of the year in Kigali, Rwanda, joined by 15 traveling fellows from Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria and more. There, the group will join forces with nearly 30 Rwandan fellows who are currently hard at work organizing a week of educational and inspirational programming. Since participating in TechWomen, the Rwandan fellows have created initiatives that inspire girls to pursue STEM fields, provided support for survivors of the Genocide against the Tutsi, brought digital literacy training to youth and more.
Report Date...: 2/3/20
Fellow delivers TEDx talk in Amman
Fellow(s): Afnan Ali
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2011
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This Saturday, 2011 fellow Afnan Ali delivered a TEDx talk at the TEDxAlAbdali event in Amman, Jordan. Afnan is the founder of Eureka Tech Academy, Jordan’s first science academy with a mission to educate children on technology and engineering through innovative and hands-on programming.
The event’s theme was “Transform,” and amplified ideas and achievements that introduce transformative topics. In her talk, “From Education to Innovation,” Afnan spoke about how to prepare the next generation of changemakers and innovators, sharing best practices on empowering and motivating young people. Using Eureka Tech Academy as a case study, Afnan shared success stories of children who have gone through the program since its inception five years ago. Since its founding, Eureka has been nationally recognized for its model; in 2017, Queen Rania visited the initiative, meeting with students in their programs.
Report Date...: 2/3/20
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
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
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
Mentor(s): Sepideh Nasiri (mentor)
Company: Persian Women in Tech
Mentor Type: Impact
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
TechWomen Impact Coach Sepideh Nasiri was a featured panelist at the Womxn of Color Leadership Forum, held recently in Silicon Valley. Sepideh is the founder of Persian Women in Tech, a non-profit that mentors and empowers Persian, Middle Eastern and North African women in technology. She also serves as an advisor to early-stage startups and inclusion initiatives, providing best practices for closing the gender gap in tech.
The event was organized by Breaking Glass Forums, an initiative that creates customized diversity and inclusion programs for tech companies. In her panel, “Realize your Worth,” Sepideh discussed the path to self-worth, battling impostor syndrome and defining your values. She also shared her own career path, providing tips on translating your experience into your worth and celebrating your unique career journey. “Not everyone takes the same path,” says Sepideh. “People often look only at the end goal, but should celebrate the smaller successes and milestones along the way.”
Report Date...: 1/6/20
