Impact Stories from Education Diplomacy/Mentoring Policy Area
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Fellow launches e-waste-to-STEM kits at university in Algeria
Fellow(s): Ahlem Benazzouz
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow launches e-waste-to-STEM kits at university in Algeria
Inspired by her TechWomen program mentors and learnings, fellow Ahlem Benazzouz (Algeria, 2022) has introduced, EcoBioMedTechMakers, an electronic waste upcycling innovation project to her students and colleagues at the University of Science and Technology Mohamed Boudiaf in Oran, Algeria, where she works as a research assistant professor while earning her Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering.
The project emerged from a dual commitment to sustainable technology development and the promotion of women in STEM, Ahlem shares. She integrates physical computing into her curriculum using micro:bit technology introduced by mentors Kathy Giori and Meg Gordon. Components are salvaged from e-waste, such as circuit boards, resistors, capacitors and LEDs to create STEM education kits. The kits are instrumental in designing experiments that teach electronics and coding concepts. Moreover, she is actively encouraging students to embark on sustainable projects and startups, considering both environmental and socioeconomic impacts to generate lasting positive outcomes.
“The results have been promising, with increased enthusiasm and participation from our female students,” Ahlem shared in recent communications. “The real-world applications of physical computing and coding have bridged the gap between theory and practice, fostering creativity, critical thinking and practical skills development.” Ahlem further shares that she is collaborating with a team of research professors to elevate the project to the next level. “Techwomen is really the beginning of a new journey.”
Report Date...: 02/12/2024
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Fellow organizes international hackathon with IMSA
Fellow(s): Ejiroghene John
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2023
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow organizes international hackathon with IMSA
On January 24, MayCreatorz STEAM Initiative (MCS Initiative), founded by fellow Ejiroghene John (Nigeria, 2023), hosted a bi-national hackathon, “A Cross-Cultural Exchange Network Event.” Held on the International Day of Education, the program was anchored by the students of the SWENext Club at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA), hosts of the 2023 Pitch Day in Chicago, for the students of the Community Secondary School (CSS) Olanada in Nigeria.
Training participants to solve real world problems with AI, coding, HTML and CS, the event drew 50 students and 7 teachers from CSS Olanada, as well as virtual participants from other schools in Nigeria, Zambia, Kenya, and other parts of the world.
The second series of the hackathon will take place in late February. MCS Initiative hopes to secure 5 to 10 laptops by then for participant use in hands-on skills training.
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Report Date...: 01/29/2024
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Fellow leads 3rd place win at UbuntuNet hackathon
Fellow(s): Yollanda Washaya
Country: Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellow leads 3rd place win at UbuntuNet hackathon
“We came, we CODED, we conquered,” shared fellow Yollanda Washaya (Zimbabwe, 2022) in a recent post celebrating the victory of Team Kusha from Africa University in Zimbabwe, who won third place out of 300 applicants continent-wide at the first-ever UbuntuNet Alliance Women Hackathon this fall. Held in advance of the UbuntuNet-Connect 2023 Conference in Uganda, the initiative was created to champion gender equality in STEM fields.
Yollanda serves as the Head of Innovation at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. Her team has recently developed an AI-powered authoring tool called KUSHA “in our quest to make educational articles more palatable,” she wrote in another recent post showcasing the AI’s generative abilities.
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Report Date...: 12/25/2023
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Fellow announces founding of STEM training and university preparation platform Stemio
Fellow(s): Natalya Yusupova Klimenko
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Natalya Yusupova Klimenko (Uzbekistan, 2017) has recently announced the founding of Stemio, an innovative online learning platform designed to help students prepare for STEM courses and gain greater access to universities and the admissions process. Subscribers to the platform will receive access to worldwide courses, 24/7 online support, unlimited practice and knowledge testing opportunities, and guaranteed university admission.
“By my calculations, every year more than 2 million school students in Central Asia and neighboring countries take exams in mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology when applying to STEM universities.” Natalya explained in a recent announcement. “80% of them fail due to the low level of education in schools. It is an incredible 2 billion dollar opportunity in this region alone.”
Natalya has a professional background in digital marketing management and most recently served as the Head of Sales at Billz, a retail business management software company. She launched Stemio to help students shore up teacher and resource shortages, combat institutional corruption, alleviate personal study pressures and develop a clear and desirable career path.
Report Date...: 11/27/2023
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Mentor & fellow collaborate on STEaM Hackathon
Fellow(s): Mentor Jeannice Fairrer Samani, Fellow Amanda Calitz (South Africa, 2020-2021)
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Mentor Jeannice Fairrer Samani, Founding Managing Director of the Fifth Wave STEaM initiative, recently collaborated with fellow Amanda Calitz (South Africa, 2020-2021) to bring “Fifth Wave STEaM Hackathon: Unleashing Innovation in the Future of Education” to South Africa. The hybrid hackathon, open to youths worldwide, spanned two days and featured 145 registered teams from both the eastern and western hemispheres. The event featured a metaverse virtual platform to promote team collaboration, mentorship and the use of on-demand videos. Activities included an accredited blockchain course, panel discussions, and a pitch session to showcase participants’ viable innovations addressing climate change. “We were delighted to launch [this event]” Jeannice shared in a recent letter. “By combining technology, education, and collaboration, our goal is to empower the next generation of leaders and create a sustainable future.”
Report Date...: 10/23/2023
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000 seed grant win
Fellow(s): Safa Buzgeia (Libya, 2022)
Country: Libya
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fablab Libya’s “Libyan STEM Hub”, an educational technology project conceived and spearheaded by fellow Safa Buzgeia (Libya, 2022), recently earned 40,000 USD in grant funding from the Islamic Development Bank as a part of their 14-week Tadamon Accelerator experience. Under Safa’s leadership, the Fablab Libya team prepared a non-profit business plan, submitted a pitch deck, and took part in a pitch competition, ultimately placing in the top three among 47 civil service organizations in the accelerator. The project went on to be recognized as one of Tadamon Accelerator’s seven best development projects at this spring’s Forum on Contributing to the Reduction of Poverty in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Fab Lab Libya is an incubator and civil society organization working to spread the culture of digital manufacturing, technology and entrepreneurship, primarily through the implementation of workshops and projects. Libyan STEM Hub aims to establish a first-of-its-kind interactive electronic educational platform, offering modern and practical STEM teaching methods to help bridge the gap in technology content and capacity building around distance learning in the nation. “I think the Tadamon Accelerator experience offered a great next step, with a wonderful conclusion, to what I learned during my TechWomen impact project journey,” Safa shared in a recent letter.
Read More »Report Date...: 8/21/2023
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Fellow founds nonprofit Data for Africa Impact (D4AI)
Fellow(s): Rosaline Macharia (Kenya, 2022)
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Rosaline Macharia (Kenya, 2022) recently founded Data for African Impact (D4AI), a non-profit organization that aims to equip and inspire African youth with data science tools. To mark the founding, D4AI hosted its first webinar, “Decoding Data Science: Unleashing Its Potential,” on August 23. The webinar, featuring prominent Australian data scientist Dr. Xin Li and D4AI Head of Training Charles Ndung’u, offered insights into the present and future applications of data science and elucidated the importance of data science literacy in Africa. In September, the program will also launch STEMEd for girls, a free online training program for high school girls. “The establishment of Data for African Impact stands as a remarkable milestone—a testament to the career goals I set following my TechWomen experience,” Rosaline wrote in a recent post. “My heartfelt appreciation goes out to… my impact coaches, Beth Steinberg and Arezoo Riahi,” she continued. “Your insights and guidance have been a guiding lig
Read More »Report Date...: 08/28/2023
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Fellow discusses AI for impact on ECA exchange Alumni Podcast
Fellow(s): Dr. Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019)
Country: Jordan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Dr. Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019) recently appeared on the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ ExchangeAlumni series, Mentor Talks. In the episode, “Using AI as a Force for Global Good,” Reema discusses her role as an AI global ambassador, demystifies popular misconceptions about artificial intelligence and illustrates how it can be deployed for positive impact. Through her non-governmental organization, Galaxy for Technology, for example, Reema uses AI as a tool for education and skill-building for local refugees. “I founded Galaxy because there was a huge need in my community,” she explained. “We give them intensive training from web development to python to machine learning — the main skills and tools needed to work with global markets.” Reema also discussed her journey in TechWomen. “I have this kind of love in my eyes when I speak of TechWomen,” Reema shared, highlighting the mentorships, partnerships, entrepreneurial knowledge and professional networking opportunities she gained. “It was truly a transformative experience that has significantly shaped my career.” Reema is the first female Jordanian AI Global Ambassador for SwissCognitive, an international keynote speaker, and Founder and CEO of Galaxy for Technology. She is a youth influencer and also serves as a senior AI consultant for Tesla Motors and the World Bank.
Read More »Report Date...: 08/28/2023
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9 Fellows provide leadership support as Techgirls LECs
Fellow(s): Anzurat Kosimova (Tajikistan, 2016), Arielle Kitio Tsamo (Cameroon, 2016), Carolyn Seaman (Nigeria, 2018), Ghada Amin (Egypt, 2018), Helen Mburu (Kenya, 2018), Nadiah Saba’neh, (Palestinian Territories, 2015) Nisreen Deeb (Lebanon, 2013), Ramia Bakain (Jordan, 2022) and Refilwe Ledwaba (South Africa, 2019)
Country: Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Tajikistan
Cohort: 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellows Anzurat Kosimova (Tajikistan, 2016), Arielle Kitio Tsamo (Cameroon, 2016), Carolyn Seaman (Nigeria, 2018), Ghada Amin (Egypt, 2018), Helen Mburu (Kenya, 2018), Nadiah Saba’neh, (Palestinian Territories, 2015) Nisreen Deeb (Lebanon, 2013), Ramia Bakain (Jordan, 2022) and Refilwe Ledwaba (South Africa, 2019) recently served as Local Engagement Coordinators (LECs) for the 2023 TechGirls program. LECs provide ongoing mentorship and support for 100+ girls from 35 countries who travel to Virginia Tech for one month per year to further their futures in STEM. “An absolute highlight for me was when Lee Satterfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the ECA (Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs), addressed the TechGirls community,” Nadiah shares. “[And] the special message from Secretary of State Antony Blinken left us all with a renewed sense of hope for a brighter tomorrow.”
Read More »Report Date...: 08/07/2023
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Fellow leads Dell design thinking workshops
Fellow(s): Zeinab El Sayed (Egypt, 2020-2021)
Country: Egypt
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow leads Dell design thinking workshops
Fellow Zeinab El Sayed (Egypt, 2020-2021) recently led the delivery of two design thinking (DT) workshops at Dell Technologies Egypt for high school and undergraduate university students. At the Dell star and summer academy workshops, Zeinab, along with a team of coaches, taught design thinking methodology to over 100 students engaging in interactive technical, soft skills, and career workshops with experts from Dell Technologies. The students would go on to utilize their learnings to develop and pitch practical solutions for real world issues as part of their mentorship programs. Zeinab currently serves as lead on all design thinking programs at Dell Technologies in Cairo. She is also a certified lean six sigma—yellow belt instructor.
Read More »Report Date...: 10/02/2023