Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
Fellow honored as a 2025 L’Oréal Woman of Worth
Fellow(s): Aseel Honein
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow Aseel Honein (Lebanon, 2013) was recently recognized as one of L’Oréal’s Women of Worth 2025, receiving the Sustainable Architecture & Innovation Award, celebrated at a gala dinner on June 26 at Sursock Palace Gardens in Beirut, Lebanon.
Aseel is honored for her commitment to reimagining architecture as a tool for both sustainability and social impact. In a video featured at the event, she reflected: “I forged my own path, step by step. I transformed obstacles into opportunities, and barriers into bridges.”
Aseel is the founder of Indigo Kousba, a rural eco-tourism retreat in North Lebanon, and Parallel Studio, a design and technology academy focused on empowering youth through hands-on programs in architecture, design thinking and social innovation. Through Parallel Studio, she also created Architecture in a Box, a program that introduces children and teenagers to architecture, urbanism and cultural heritage through interactive learning and games.
“Guided by the same passion,” she shared, “I launched Architecture in a Box, a modest initiative in scale, yet monumental in impact.”
Report Date...: 07/14/2025
Fellow co-facilitates African Girls Can Code Initiative bootcamp
Fellow(s): Emma Mphahlele
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
Fellow Emma Mphahlele (South Africa, 2022) recently co-facilitated the African Girls Can Code Initiative (AGCCI) bootcamp, launched on July 4 in Johannesburg. The 10-day event brought together girls from South Africa’s townships and rural areas for hands-on training in app and game development, engineering fundamentals, design thinking and digital entrepreneurship. It was organized by UN Women South Africa in collaboration with the African Union, Siemens and South Africa’s Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, and Department of Basic Education.
As founder of Kids Innovate Africa and African Youth Ignited 4IR, Emma guided participants through project-based learning that emphasized confidence-building, technical skills and future-focused thinking. “They leave the bootcamp excited about their future, eager to uncover their potential in STEM,” she said.
She also connected the participants virtually with TechWomen mentor Lori Kahn, who riveted the girls with insights into her career working with satellites as a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin.
Report Date...: 07/07/2025
Fellow Strengthens Food Safety Expertise through EU-Funded Training in Germany
Fellow(s): Manal Ben Mahjoub
Country: Morocco
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
Fellow Manal Ben Mahjoub (Morocco, 2022) was recently selected to participate in the EU-funded Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF) course on “Sampling and Analysis of Residues of Plant Protection Products,” held in Stuttgart, Germany. Implemented by NSF under the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), the program convened global experts focused on strengthening food safety systems.
Through technical sessions and practical fieldwork, Manal gained expertise in pesticide residue analysis using LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS, method validation, and EU-aligned food control protocols. She also conducted real-time sampling with German inspectors and visited the Ritter Sport EL CACAO project as a case study in sustainable agriculture and pesticide management.
Learning directly from Dr. Michelangelo Anastassiades, developer of the QuEChERS method, and other experts at CVUA Stuttgart, she deepened her understanding of the intersection between science and policy. Manal now aims to apply this knowledge to support Morocco’s alignment with EU and Codex Alimentarius food safety standards.
Report Date...: 07/07/2025
Mentor(s): Amy Graff, Michelle Maraj
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls
Mentors Amy Graff and Michelle Maraj recently traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania as participants in Tech2Empower: Ukraine, an initiative led by WAKE International. The program connects women professionals with civil society leaders to support displaced Ukrainian women and local mission-driven organizations across the Baltics.
Amy served as an advisor to Ribologija, Lithuania’s first rape crisis center, which has been central to advancing dialogue around sexual violence and reproductive health. She and her team supported the organization in shaping a sustainable business model to extend its reach and impact.
Maraj worked with Open Nations, a platform supporting displaced Ukrainian women, to develop a long-term data strategy aimed at measuring program outcomes and impact by strengthening its evaluation and planning systems.
Both mentors participated in a culminating event at Tech Zity’s new Tech Arts campus, co-hosted with Ukreate Hub. There, they joined other advisors in leading workshops for a cohort of Ukrainian women entrepreneurs on topics ranging from emotional intelligence and branding to organizational strategy and data systems.
Report Date...: 05/05/2025
Mentor Receives Marvell Award for Advancement
Fellow(s): Cora Lam
Country:
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor Cora Lam was recently honored with the Advancing Women’s Initiatives Award by Women@Marvell at Marvell Technology’s Santa Clara headquarters. The award recognizes Cora’s dedication to supporting women in STEM and her growing impact as a mentor and advocate.
In addition to her role as a Cultural Mentor, Cora has participated in TechWomen delegation trips to Kazakhstan and Tajikistan (2023, 2024), spoken at the Central Eurasia @ Silicon Valley Conference and joined the TechWomen Alumnae Summit in Morocco. She was also named a 2022 Silicon Valley Business Journal Women of Influence honoree several years ago.
“TechWomen has truly opened doors for me,” she shared. “I’ve grown both professionally and personally. The program transformed me from a purely technical engineer into someone with a life-long passion for mentorship.”
Report Date...: 04/28/2025
Fellow gives keynote address at launch of Tajikistan’s first IT Park
Fellow(s): Zarina Achilova
Country: Tajikistan
Cohort: 2023
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
At the recent opening of Tajikistan’s first-ever IT Park in Dushanbe, fellow Zarina Achilova (Tajikistan, 2023), country director of Women in Tech Tajikistan, delivered a keynote presentation titled “Digital Skills for an Inclusive Future: Empowering Women in Technology in Tajikistan.”
Representing her organization, Zarina spoke on the importance of accessible digital education, the critical role of women in shaping the country’s digital future, and the steps needed to foster a more inclusive national tech ecosystem. The event marked a milestone for Tajikistan’s growing technology sector and demonstrated the expanding influence of grassroots initiatives focused on digital access.
In addition to this honor, Zarina was recently named among the Top 25 Successful Women Entrepreneurs of Tajikistan by the Association of Financial Institutions of Tajikistan. She is the founder of outsourcing call center T@mos.
Report Date...: 04/28/2025
Mentor(s): Anar Simpson, Jill Finlayson
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
The 2025 EDGE in Tech Athena Awards recently recognized mentor Anar Simpson for her role in nominating global nonprofit Technovation for the “Next-generation Engagement” award, presented at a May 13 ceremony hosted by mentor Jill Finlayson, Managing Director of the CITRIS Innovation Hub at UC Berkeley.
As a longtime board member and global strategic partnership advisor, Simpson has played a central role in scaling Technovation’s impact, expanding the program to more than 100 countries and championing access for girls in under-resourced communities. Over 76% of Technovation alumnae pursue STEM degrees, with 60% entering STEM careers.
Report Date...: 05/12/2025
Fellows launch seed-grant funded MentorMatch Kenya to connect talented women in STEM
Fellow(s): Tima Ali, Eunice Allela, Doreen Irungu, Auma Harriet, Naima Ibrahim
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2024
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
On July 6, 2025, the fellows of 2024 Team Kenya — Tima Ali, Eunice Allela, Doreen Irungu, Auma Harriet and Naima Ibrahim — officially launched MentorMatch Kenya, their seed grant-funded initiative designed to connect women STEM graduates with professionals across the globe for mentorship, peer learning and career support.
Hosted at Safaricom PLC’s Michael Joseph Centre in Nairobi, the launch event featured a keynote address, a panel discussion and a high-energy speed mentorship session. The launch brought together mentors, mentees and STEM professionals to engage in dialogue, build community and share insights on the transition from academia to industry.
MentorMatch Kenya aims to close the mentorship gap for women pursuing STEM careers by offering tailored programs that include academic support, job readiness training, and access to tools, resources and networks. The initiative also includes a growing online community via Discord, fostering peer-to-peer networking and learning opportunities.
“Our mission is to create a scalable model of mentorship and support that empowers women in STEM to navigate their careers with confidence,” the team shared. “We’re building something transformational, and we’re thrilled to have our community with us on this journey.”
Report Date...:
Fellow presents on public admin digitalization for SDGs
Fellow(s): Mahinabonu Bekova
Country: Tajikistan
Cohort: 2023
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow Mahinabonu Bekova (Tajikistan, 2023) recently gave a presentation, “Transformation of Public Administration through Digitalization: New Opportunities to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” at Tajik National University. Her talk sparked engaging dialogue with students and faculty about how digital tools are reshaping public management. “It was very interesting to hear the opinions of future specialists and colleagues,” she shared, “on how digital technologies are opening up new horizons for sustainable development.”
The presentation followed Mahinabonu’s recent participation in the ERASMUS+ ESGCA project at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, where she took part in a week of collaborative learning on ESG principles and sustainability. Highlights included site visits to the Slovnaft Refinery and sessions on water treatment innovation and university–industry partnerships.
She also recently served as a Technovation Girls mentor alongside fellow Zevar Davlatmamadova Bordachyova, for team Sigma Girls. Their team won first place in Tajikistan’s national competition for developing a mobile application that offers practical tools to help users navigate emergency situations.
Report Date...: 06/02/2025
Mentor(s): Jeannice Fairrer-Samani
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Mentor Jeannice Fairrer-Samani, a digital technologist and founder of the Fifth Wave STEAM Initiative, recently presented a workshop, “AI for Impact: Empowering Innovation Across Industries,” for IIE’s Alliance of Saudi Women Active in Tech (ASWAT) fellowship program. In her session, Jeannice explored how artificial intelligence is transforming STEM fields, entrepreneurship and global problem-solving.
ASWAT brings together rising Saudi women professionals in cybersecurity, biotech, electric vehicles, energy and beyond for a three-week program based in Austin, Texas. Activities include job shadowing, site visits, professional networking and the creation of action plans for impact.
Through ASWAT, Jeannice advances a growing movement of mentors who are helping to shape technology-driven, cross-sector solutions to today’s biggest challenges.
“AI has the power to drive innovation across industries,” she shared, “and I’m honored to welcome this extraordinary cohort of women in tech to explore that potential together.”
Report Date...: 06/02/2025
