Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
In presentation fellow tells girls they are needed in STEM fields
Fellow(s): Sitora Salaeva
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2019 fellow Sitora Salaeva was a featured speaker at STEM Week, an online training program for girls led by 2021 TechGirls alumna Diyora Daminova. In partnership with the Academic Lyceum of Westminster at the International University in Tashkent (ALWIUT), STEM Week brought leadership development, resources and inspiring talks from women in STEM in Uzbekistan.
Sitora, who served on the planning committee for the inaugural 2020 Uzbekistan TechWomen/TechGirls Alumnae Summit, works as a software development engineer for the Bureau of Enforcement under the General Prosecutor’s Office of Uzbekistan. Currently, she is pursuing her second master’s degree in cybersecurity in the UK. In her STEM Week presentation, Sitora spoke about choosing a career in STEM and why girls and women play a key role in STEM progress. “I shared innovative projects that failed until women were involved, because women can offer a different perspective on problem-solving,” she said. Through sharing the legacies of STEM pioneers like Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper, Sitora hoped to show the girls that they, too, can be contributors and leaders in STEM fields. “You can invent new things, you can help grow your country’s economy and you can help empower other girls to enter STEM,” she said. At the Q&A after her presentation, attendees had an opportunity to ask Sitora about the achievements she is the proudest of, who inspired her to enter STEM and ways they could pursue STEM through academics, extracurricular activities and international exchange programs like TechGirls and TechWomen.
Report Date...: 11/29/21
Fellow and TechGirls alumna collaborate to inspire girls in STEM
Fellow(s): Imene Henni Mansour
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2019 fellow Imene Henni Mansour was a guest speaker at Women Who STEM, a free online initiative that empowers women and girls to pursue STEM fields. Women Who STEM was founded by Youssra Bencherif, a 2021 TechGirls alumna from Algeria.
Imene and Youssra met during Youssra’s TechGirls 2021 interview, where Imene served on the interview panel. Youssra reached out to Imene shortly after the 2021 program concluded, asking her to get involved in her initiative. At the most recent event, Youssra invited women leaders to share their careers in STEM and give advice to girls on how to kickstart their STEM careers. In her talk, Imene, the CEO of InnoCom, spoke about computer science, entrepreneurship in Algeria and how volunteering helped her gain the soft skills required to create her own company. Imene told the girls that they must challenge themselves every day to be the best version of themselves: “As women entrepreneurs, we have to be bold and self-confident, because others can feel it,” she said. “I also advised them to always be self-learners, whatever their age, position or status.”
Report Date...: 11/29/21
Fellow discusses innovation and the future of tech in interview
Fellow(s): Zimkhita Buwa and Anar Simpson (mentor)
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
2013 fellow Zimkhita Buwa was a featured guest on Yes We Can, an interview series from Cloudflare featuring women technology leaders. The series is led by Michelle Zatly, Cloudflare’s co-founder, president and COO. Zimkhita and Michelle were introduced through TechWomen mentor and strategic partnerships advisor Anar Simpson, who was also featured on Yes We Can.
Zimkhita is the CEO of Quintica, a digital innovation company. She is also a member of Dazzle Angels, a women-led angel fund that invests in women-owned startups, and serves on the board of Silicon Cape, a non-profit that promotes tech entrepreneurship in the Western Cape. In the interview, Zimkhita reflected on her TechWomen experience and how it impacted her career. “It changed my life,” she said. “I realized I didn’t want to be technical anymore, and it made me choose a different career for myself.” Zimkhita also spoke about mentorship, entrepreneurship and innovation, highlighting the flourishing startup ecosystem in South Africa and how women entrepreneurs are pioneering transformative change.
Report Date...: 11/29/21
At IEW fellow talks about the power of international exchange
Fellow(s): Maral Hudaybergenova
Country: Turkmenistan
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
2018 fellow Maral Hudaybergenova was invited to deliver a session about the impact of the TechWomen program for International Education Week, a joint initiative of the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Education that highlights the impact of international education and studying abroad.
The session was part of a week-long event organized by American Councils for International Education and EducationUSA Turkmenistan that offered Q&A sessions, overviews of exchange programs and workshops on personal development skills. Maral, a civil engineer at a multinational construction company, was mentored at Cahill Contractors during TechWomen 2018. During her talk, she spoke about her exchange experience in the U.S., how it has impacted her career and how women in STEM fields in Turkmenistan can take advantage of the opportunity. “I’m trying to reach more ladies who deserve to join this global community. It was an honor to empower more ladies to pursue their dreams,” she said.
Report Date...: 11/15/21
Fellow speaks about climate action at UN COP 26
Fellow(s): Rim Assaad
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2018 fellow Rim Assaad was invited to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, speaking on two panels about climate action in Lebanon. The annual summit convened world leaders, businesses and citizens for twelve days of talks themed on the Paris Agreement goals and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Rim is the co-founder of RISE2030, a community-led initiative managed by Sustain The World Org and Sustainable Empowerment for Youth International. Through their education and training programs – which include solar installation, literacy training and support for women farmers –RISE2030 aims to mobilize women and youth to create sustainable communities and contribute to Lebanon’s energy transition. In 2021, RISE2030 distributed 46,000 meals and created over 2,000 jobs.
Last year, RISE2030 won a United Nations Global Climate Action Award in the “Women for Results” category. After delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Rim represented RISE2030 at COP 26 as a featured guest and panelist, sharing her work addressing challenges in Lebanon. In her panel, Advancing Gender Equity in Climate Action, Rim spoke about Lebanon’s current energy crisis that was exacerbated by COVID-19 and the 2020 Beirut explosion. She said that RISE2030 aims to be a part of the solution, working to train and mobilize all-women teams to address power grid issues. “Creating all-women teams is a bold statement,” Rim said. “Being a woman in Lebanon has never been harder, yet women are proving to be leaders of change.”
Report Date...: 11/8/21
Fellow named a top 500 African DOer
Fellow(s): Baratang Miya
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth
2015 fellow Baratang Miya was named to the Top 500 African DOers Power List from Tropics Magazine, an online publication covering business in Africa, Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia. The annual list recognizes the most influential Africans, spotlighting leaders who are creating impact and moving the pan-African economy forward. The African DOer campaign also has a mission to inspire the next generation of thought leaders and entrepreneurs by amplifying social impact leaders across the continent.
Baratang is founder of GirlHype, an initiative that empowers women and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds through tech training and digital literacy workshops. Through their Coding Clubs, GirlHype brings together girls throughout the country to learn about computer science and meet other girls interested in STEM fields. Baratang is also the CEO of Uhuru Spaces, a coworking space designed to bring together and support female founders.
Report Date...: 11/8/21
In USG Alumni Talk fellow discusses STEM education for girls
Fellow(s): Elena Selezneva
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Last week, 2016 fellow Elena Selezneva was invited by American Spaces in Uzbekistan Tashkent to discuss STEM programs for girls and her TechWomen experience. The conversation was part of the American Space USG Alumni Talks series that spotlights alumnae from exchange programs, inviting them to share their expertise and exchange program experience.
Elena and 2016 fellow Saida Yusupova are the founders of Tech4Impact, an initiative that nurtures IT, innovation, green tech and women’s entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. Their recent project, Accelerating Women’s Climate Change Tech Startups in Uzbekistan, trains and supports women in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan, helping them establish businesses and initiatives that address the social and economic effects of climate change. Elena also brought the Technovation Challenge to Uzbekistan in 2016, and currently serves as their regional ambassador. Elena began her talk with an overview of TechWomen, emphasizing that the program not only improved her skills but also led to long-lasting friendships and professional collaborations that empower women and girls in STEM. After sharing data on the underrepresentation of women and girls in STEM in Uzbekistan, Elena amplified programs working to close the gap, including Tech4Impact’s UNISAT nanosatellite program that will train 150 girls to design, program, assemble and launch nanosatellites. “You may hear that STEM is not for girls, but it’s not true. There are many brilliant women and girls working in ICT, in IT, in engineering and in science,” she said.
Report Date...: 11/1/21
Fellow speaks about career and TechWomen on podcast
Fellow(s): Salma Bekkouche
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week 2018 fellow Salma Bekkouche was a featured guest on the Gusra podcast, a show that invites thought leaders in the MENA region to speak about their career journeys, experiences and passions. Salma is a recruiter and blogger whose platform, Salma Share, aims to empower Algerian youth through offering best practices and career advice. Her website and YouTube channel offer tips on applying to international programs abroad and invites guest bloggers to share their international education experiences.
In the podcast interview, Salma spoke about the value of volunteering with local clubs and organizations, sharing that her experience with Algeria’s TechWomen/TechGirls Club helped her transition from IT to HR. She reflected on her TechWomen mentorship at Twitter, where she learned the importance of personal branding on social media: “I had the chance to connect with experts from around the world in one place,” she said.
Report Date...: 11/1/21
Fellow’s company selected by WeRaise to close funding gap
Fellow(s): Ayesha Mumtaz Khan
Country: Pakistan
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth
Two years ago, 2019 fellow Ayesha Mumtaz Khan co-founded Hop Orbits, an e-commerce platform that aims to democratize access to technology, create jobs and contribute to remote business opportunities. Hop Orbits debuted their Hop Orbits Marketplace in April 2021, successfully bringing in 3,000 orders in its first month. However, women founders in Pakistan – like in many parts of the globe – face challenges in securing capital from investors, only raising 3% of the startup ecosystem’s total funding over the last five years. Ayesha applied for WeRaise, a World Bank Group program that addresses the funding barriers that women-led startups in Pakistan face, and was recently selected for their competitive training program. Implemented by startup accelerator Invest2Innovate, the two-year initiative aims to support and train women-led Pakistani companies that are actively seeking seed investment.
During the program, Ayesha and her team will receive investor-readiness training, hands-on guidance from seasoned coaches, legal services and access to a network of potential investors. “I’ve learned to think from perspective of the investor. Understanding the investor’s perspective is really important for founders especially if s/he wants to raise funding and collaborate with investors,” Ayesha said. “We have high hopes for our platform.” To continue her career growth, Ayesha also began a post-graduate project management program at John Moores University with support from their International Achievement Award scholarship.
Report Date...: 10/25/21
At Girls STEAM Camp fellow shares advice and inspiration
Fellow(s): Houda Chakiri
Country: Morocco
Cohort: 2012
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2012 fellow Houda Chakiri spoke to over 100 secondary school students in Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire and the United States at last month’s WiSci Morocco Girls STEAM Camp, a two-week virtual program that offered girls interactive STEM workshops, leadership training and mentorship opportunities. Houda, an assistant professor of computer science, was joined by other international women leaders for the Women In STEAM panel, sharing their diverse experiences as women in leadership.
During the panel, the moderator encouraged the panelists to remember their experiences when they were the same age as the girls. Houda offered her perspective, sharing the barriers she faced as a girl and emphasizing that girls continue to face challenges when pursuing STEM fields. She reminded the girls, however, that setbacks can serve as fuel for achievement: “Don’t be afraid of failure – it can be a real push to strive for success,” she said.
Report Date...: 10/25/21
