Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
Fellow featured in award-winning geoscience documentary
Fellow(s): Sara Fakhry Elokda
Country: Egypt
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow Sara Fakhry Elokda (Egypt, 2022) was recently featured in the award-winning film “Abia” (“أبية”), a documentary highlighting her path as a well-site geologist and her work advancing renewable energy in Egypt and beyond. The film premiered on the banks of the Nile during the Aswan International Women Film Festival and went on to win Best Impact Film at the festival.
The title Abia, meaning strong-willed in Arabic, reflects Sara’s determination to break barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. “This isn’t just a personal win or a film about me,” she said. “It is a moment of recognition for every woman in geoscience who’s working hard.”
Sara’s story is not only one of personal resilience but of scientific impact. She was recently awarded the Excellence Award at the SEG IMAGE Conference in Houston for her team’s work on carbon capture in Norway and was recognized as a global finalist in the EAGE Laurie Dake Challenge for her geothermal energy research in the Vienna Basin.
These innovations, developed with her team at Helwan University, are now part of her vision for energy transformation in the MENA region. “I hope the film reaches and encourages young women who feel that their dreams are too bold,” she shared. “Because sometimes, being ‘too much’ is exactly what the world needs.”
Report Date...: 06/02/2025
Mentor(s): Cassi Janakos
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Mentor Cassi Janakos, COO of Healthy Horizons, was recently named to Inc.’s 8th Annual Female Founders 500 list, alongside her mother and co-founder, CEO Sheila Dukas-Janakos. The honor recognizes 500 trailblazing women whose innovations are redefining industries and solving critical challenges across the globe.
Cassi and Sheila were recognized for their groundbreaking work expanding workplace lactation support across 130 cities in the U.S. and Canada, a mission rooted in maternal health, family well-being and employee retention. Under their leadership, Healthy Horizons has become a national leader in corporate lactation services, designing and maintaining lactation rooms, offering breast milk shipping, new parent resources and Lactation Room Servicing™ that supports millions of working parents.
“This recognition significantly elevates awareness of the critical need for comprehensive workplace lactation programs,” Cassi shared, “empowering us to partner with more employers and foster truly supportive, family-friendly workplaces.”
In addition to this honor, Healthy Horizons has earned spots on the Inc. 5000 list, the San Francisco Business Times’ 100 Fastest Growing Private Companies, and was named one of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Report Date...: 06/09/2025
Fellow(s): 21 TechWomen mentors and fellows organize impact trip to Lebanon to implement international collaboration in STEM
Country: Lebanon, United States
Cohort: 2014, 2017, 2022, 2023, 2024
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
TechWomen mentors and fellows organize impact trip to Lebanon to implement international collaboration in STEM
From May 31 to April 8, 2025, TechWomen mentors from Silicon Valley journeyed to Beirut for a powerful week of knowledge exchange, mentorship, and community building led by Lebanese TechWomen fellows who co-organized a series of high-impact events. U.S. mentors Jill Finlayson, Kathy Giori, Rekha Pai, and Terri Khonsari joined Lebanese fellows Aseel Honein (2013), Christelle Bou Harb (2024), Claudette El Hajj (2022), Diala Al Samarani (2022), Ghiwa Haddad (2022), Hala Awkar (2024), Lara Chikhani (2017), Lara El Khoury (2014), Nisrine Bou Ghannam (2024), Noura Al Merhabi (2024), Rola El Hafi (2022), Sabine El Kahi (2014), Sawsan AlJamal (2023), Sawsan Sleiman (2024), Talar Kichian (2023), Zahraa Sweidan (2024) and Zeina Farah (2022) in orchestrating this impactful series of events that brought together a variety of institutions, students, entrepreneurs and local changemakers in an inspiring journey to advance international and local innovation, mentorship and STEM excellence.
Highlights included a high-level AI and Entrepreneurship forum at the American University of Beirut, featuring guests from the U.S. Embassy of Lebanon and speakers from the National Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (NCEI). Another standout event was hosted at Lebanese American University (LAU) in partnership with the LAU Innovation Center, where mentors met with computer science students and faculty to explore the intersection of entrepreneurship, startups, and global collaboration. Additionally, a panel titled “AI Tools: Accessibility, Ethical Use, and Impact was organized in collaboration with LAU Libraries, Arab Union for Specialized Women, and others. At Beirut Digital District, the event “Connect & Elevate: Lebanese Women” welcomed leaders in STEM from across the country for an evening of community networking and mentorship with the visiting U.S. STEM pioneers. These mentors also met with entrepreneurs at the Chamber of Commerce in Tripoli (Lebanon) and delivered sessions at Lebanese University Roumieh, supported by partners such as IEEE Lebanon Joint Chapter, EdTech Syndicate in Lebanon, and the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Mentors also brought their STEM expertise and leadership to youth, delivering inspiration and hands-on physical computing workshops to students at the American High School in Lebanon, girl scouts from the AGBU – AYA Antranik Antelias Scouts, and more.
“Let’s keep bridging global wisdom with local talent,” reflected fellow Zahraa Sweidan on the powerful week of events.
Read More »Report Date...: 04/07/2025
Fellow(s): Elena Selezneva and Saida Yusupova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Fellow-founded NGO launches 2025 Technovation Girls
On February 18, Tech4Impact, founded and led by fellows Elena Selezneva and Saida Yusupova, (Uzbekistan, 2016) launched Technovation Girls Uzbekistan 2025 in partnership with Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies and Yandex Uzbekistan. Now in its ninth season, the program continues to equip young girls with the skills to create tech-driven solutions and thrive in the digital economy.
The launch took place in Tashkent, with simultaneous gatherings in Andijan, Namangan, Nukus, Urgench, and Fergana, bringing together 1,500 girls and mentors from across the country. The program will match girls aged 8 to 18 with mentors from IT and business industries.
Fellow Samira Latipova (Uzbekistan, 2023) was among the event speakers, later sharing that “seeing so many ambitious minds eager to innovate was truly inspiring!”
Report Date...: 03/03/2025
Fellow(s): Asna Javed and Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2019, 2024
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development
Fellows join forces on Women of Pakistan in STEM video
The Women of Pakistan (WOP) platform, co-founded by fellow Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi (Pakistan, 2024), recently featured fellow Asna Javed (Pakistan, 2019) in its WOP in STEM (Season II) video series. Asna, a Data & AI Technical Sales Specialist at IBM Pakistan, shared her journey of resilience, innovation, and success in the technology sector.
Born without arms, Asna adapted by learning to use her feet for daily tasks, later developing a passion for coding, problem-solving, and new technologies. Encouraged by her father to explore computers, she pursued a career in STEM, overcoming societal misconceptions about women’s technical abilities.
In the interview, Asna spoke about IBM’s supportive work environment and the broader opportunities for women in STEM, emphasizing their growing presence and impact in the field. “A lot of pioneers in STEM are women. The exposure in IT is unparalleled—every few months, something new emerges,” she shared. The video features photos from Asna’s service as a delegate on TechWomen’s 2023 trip to Cameroon, depicting her brainstorming sustainability ideas and mentoring youth in digital engagement.
This collaboration between TechWomen fellows highlights the program’s ongoing impact in fostering professional connections and amplifying the voices of pioneers in STEM.
Report Date...: 02/24/2025
Mentor(s): Sandy Chen
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor Recognized with the Brooke Eby Impact Award
Mentor Sandy Chen, Solution Engineering Senior Manager at Salesforce, was recently honored with the inaugural Brooke Eby Impact Award during her company’s annual kickoff event. The award recognizes her dedication to empowering women in STEM, particularly through her volunteer work as a mentor with TechWomen.
“The work I do through Techwomen allows me to ‘fill my cup’ so to speak, by seeing direct impact” Sandy shares. “My engagement with these very inspiring women encourages me to be a better leader in my every day job.”
As part of the award, Salesforce is making a $10,000 donation to ALS ONE, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing research and care ALS, a condition Brooke Eby was diagnosed with in 2022.
Report Date...: 02/24/2025
Fellows speak at GIZ Rwanda Fast Project launch
Fellow(s): Ines Umuhoza
Country: Rwanda
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Fellows speak at GIZ Rwanda Fast Project launch
Fellow Ines Umuhoza (Rwanda, 2022), a Gender Data & Intersectionality Advisor and Chair of the National Staff Representative Committee for GIZ Rwanda, recently participated as a panelist at the launch of the GIZ Rwanda FAST (Feminism in Action for Structural Transformation) Project.
The GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH) office for Rwanda/Burundi implements projects on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, the European Union, and other commissioning authorities. During the panel discussion, Ines shared insights on how data and policies can be harnessed to achieve these goals, highlighting the importance of inclusive and intersectional approaches in policy-making.
Ines’s journey with TechWomen began 10 years ago when fellows Rita Mutabazi, Winnie Ngamije, Emma Marie Ndoringoma and Enatha Mukantwari from the first Rwandan TechWomen cohort (2013) started a mentorship program for girls in STEM at her high school. “I was among them,” Ines shared. “Eight years later, I became a TechWomen alumna as well. Today, I got to share the stage with my mentor Rita Mutabazi, not as a mentee but as a fellow tech expert.”
Report Date...: 01/27/2025
Fellow(s): (Mentors) Jessica Dickinson Goodman and Zoe borden, and (fellows) Assiatu Jalloh, Mavzuna Abdurakhmanova, Faith Mpara, Meriem Touami, Selma Ndi and Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi
Country: Algeria, Cameroon, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Tajikistan, United States
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Mentor and Alumnae deliver Ignite Talks on Tech Diplomacy with Georgetown University Digital Tech Forum
Hosted by the Georgetown University Digital Technology Forum, six fellows and two mentors delivered Ignite Talks on Tech Diplomacy on October 22, 2024 to an audience of graduate students, staff, foreign service personnel and other members of the broader Georgetown community. Organized and moderated by mentor Jessica Dickinson Goodman, with opening remarks from mentor Zoe Borden, the talks featured fellows Assiatu Jalloh (Sierra Leone, 2016), Mavzuna Abdurakhmanova (Tajikistan, 2017), Faith Mpara (Cameroon, 2017), Meriem Touami (Algeria, 2017), Selma Ndi (Cameroon, 2022), and Qurat Ul Ain Quraishi (Pakistan, 2024). Together, they covered topics including AI in education and government, women’s empowerment, diversity and inclusion, internet infrastructure, bridging binational connections and the importance of exchange programs like TechWomen.
“It was a powerful example of how deep, wide and strong the TechWomen network is,” said Jessica, who is pursuing both an MS in Foreign Service and an MA in Global, International and Comparative History at Georgetown University, where she hopes to continue to collaborate to host with TechWomen alumnae and mentors.
Report Date...: 11/25/2025
Fellow(s): Busayo Durojaiye, Dorothée Danedjo Fouba, and Faten Khalfallah Hamouda
Country: Cameroon, Nigeria, Tunisia
Cohort: 2014, 2015
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development
Three fellows tapped for inaugural cohort of IIE’s GCWL
Fellows Busayo Durojaiye (Nigeria, 2014), Dorothée Danedjo Fouba (Cameroon, 2015), and Faten Khalfallah Hamouda (Tunisia, 2014) have been named inaugural members of the Institute of International Education’s (IIE) Global Community for Women’s Leadership (GCWL).
This groundbreaking initiative connects alumnae from over 200 IIE-administered exchange programs to empower and equip women worldwide with the resources, mentorship, and skills they need to advance and thrive in leadership roles. Launched in response to global challenges in gender parity, GCWL serves as a critical step toward closing the leadership gap.
Representing 30 countries and a wide range of professional fields, GCWL members will participate in leadership development tailored to their career paths while building connections through networking and mentorship activities.
Report Date...: 11/25/2024
Fellow(s): Nezha Larhrissi
Country: Morocco
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development, Youth Engagement
Fellow launches Titrit Girls Collaborative Council with Social Innovation Lab for TechGirls, Technovation & Digigirlz alum
Youth digital skills development initiative eSTEM Morocco, led by fellow Nezha Larhrissi (Morocco, 2013), recently launched the Titrit Girls Collaborative Council at Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) in partnership with the Social Innovation Lab (SIL) ahead of the International Day of the Girl on October 11, 2024.
Convening 17 girls from diverse regions across Morocco, the council aims to galvanize alumnae from STEM programs including TechGirls, Technovation Girls and Digigirlz to design the structure and objectives of the Titrit Girls Collaborative Council in preparation for an upcoming eSTEAM Festival. Under the mentorship of eSTEMorocco and SIL, invitees took part in a two-day event designed to enhance their leadership skills and establish regional action plans as part of eSTEM Morocco’s “vision of digitally including 50,000 girls from disadvantaged backgrounds by 2025.”
Ideated and established by TechWomen’s seed-grant winning Team Morocco in 2013, eSTEM Morocco, has since earned international recognition and support, including the United Nations Foundation’s Global Citizen Education Award and an Aspen Digital Equity Accelerator placement. During the 2023 TechWomen Delegation to Morocco, eSTEM Morocco launched the Titrit digital platform, which provides training, mentorship, and networking opportunities for girls across Morocco.
Nezha will give a pitch focused on Digital Access to the Titrit App at the Alumnae Summit in Morocco this December.
Report Date...: 11/04/2024
