Impact Stories from Empowering Women and Girls Policy Area
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
Fellows launch TIKE a social impact project for educators
Fellow(s): Imene Henni Mansour, Celia Ouabas
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2019 fellows Imene Henni Mansour and Celia Ouabas launched TIKE (Teacher’s Initiative for Kids Education), a program that supports Algeria’s educators in order to positively impact students and improve the country’s education system.
The fellows began their project during the 2019 action-planning process, working alongside their country teammates to address Algeria’s high student drop-out rate. At TIKE’s first workshop, the fellows gathered local primary school teachers to share their experiences and challenges. “Teachers are the pioneers of the whole educational system,” says Celia. “By creating a network and offering a space, support and guidance for them to exchange about the struggles and challenges they go through in their daily job, we work together towards finding effective solutions.”
Report Date...: 1/27/20
TechWomen and TechGirls kick-off club activities at summit
Fellow(s): Sitora Salaeva, Sevara Siradjeva, Ozoda Ismailova, Shodiyabegim Bakhtiyorzoda, Munira Begmuratova, Elena Selezneva, Saida Yusupova, Elvira Sheina, Natalya Yusupova, Yulduz Khudaykulova, Mariya Savatyugina, Nargiza Kholmatova, Zebinisa Mirakbarova
Country: Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, TechWomen and TechGirls alumnae convened in Tashkent for the inaugural Uzbekistan Alumnae Summit, a gathering where alumnae connected, planned for future collaborations and established Uzbekistan’s TechWomen/TechGirls Club chapter. TechWomen/TechGirls Clubs provide a space for career counseling, mentoring, leadership development and more. Launched in 2018, the cross-program clubs expanded from seven program countries in MENA to now include four more countries in CSA.
The event was organized by the coordinating committee that consists of 2019 fellow Sitora Salaeva, 2016 fellows Sevara Siradjeva and Ozoda Ismailova, as well as TechGirls alumnae Sadiya Abbasova and Sevara Akramkhanova. They were joined by fellows Shodiyabegim Bakhtiyorzoda (2015), Munira Begmuratova (2016), Elena Selezneva (2016), Saida Yusupova (2016), Elvira Sheina (2017), Natalya Yusupova (2017), Yulduz Khudaykulova, (2018), Mariya Savatyugina (2019), Nargiza Kholmatova (2019) and Zebinisa Mirakbarova (2019) and representatives of the U.S Embassy Joanne Kramb and Utkirbek Tadjimov.
The alumnae worked in small teams based on their expertise and interests, brainstorming solutions to leading issues in their communities and participating in sessions where TechGirls alumnae gathered valuable career advice from TechWomen fellows. Throughout the day, the participants fulfilled a foundational goal of the clubs: to encourage connection and to empower TechWomen to mentor and support TechGirls. Looking forward, the teams plan to reconvene for a second summit in July to share the progress made on implementing their projects.
Report Date...: 1/20/20
Mentor hosts pop-up gallery benefitting fellows’ impact project
Fellow(s): Jessica Dickinson Goodman
Country: Palestinian Territories, United States
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls
This week, TechWomen Impact Coach Jessica Dickinson Goodman hosted a pop-up art gallery in Mountain View to benefit Tawahdna, an initiative created by fellows of the Palestinian Territories during TechWomen 2018. Jessica is the chair of the San Jose Human Services Commission, an advisory commission to the city of San Jose that oversees its human rights policy and develops human rights programs.
The fellows’ initiative, which began during the 2018 action-planning process, builds a supportive community that empowers parents with children on the autism spectrum and connects them with experienced parents and experts with modern educational tools. Jessica’s gallery exhibit featured a photo wall from a 2016 trip she took to the Palestinian Territories alongside TechWomen mentors Eileen Brewer, Erin Wilkinson, Aliya Janjua and Katy Dickinson. Over the course of the three-day exhibit, Jessica raised over $400 in donations for Tawahdna.
Report Date...: 1/20/20
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
Alumnae host Technovation kickoff event in Nablus
Fellow(s): Ayah Soufan, Yamama Shaka’a, Ruba Awayes, Waed Jabareen, Hiba Ghannam, Sondos Ibrahim, Mai Abuthraa
Country: Palestinian Territories
Cohort: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This weekend, TechWomen fellows came together to organize
a Technovation challenge kickoff event Nablus that was
attended by over 100 girls and mentors. 2015 fellow Ayah
Soufan, who organized the event hosted by her employer,
Paltel, has been a Technovation Regional Ambassador since
2016.
Ayah was joined by 2016 fellow Yamama Shakaa, 2017 fellow
Ruba Awayes, 2018 fellow Waed Jabareen, and 2019 fellows
Hiba Ghannam, Sondos Ibrahim and Mai Abuthraa. The
fellows, who were also supported by two TechGirls alumnae,
spoke to the group of young girls and mentors about using
technology to spark social change. Technovation Girls
Palestine will be participating in the new season of the
Technovation Challenge, where groups of young girls come together to solve leading issues in their communities through technology.
Report Date...: 1/13/20
Fellow speaks to women in green tech at conference
Fellow(s): Linah Anyango
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2019
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
Last month, 2019 fellow Linah Anyango was a featured speaker at
the East Africa Women in Energy Conference, sharing her experience
transitioning from school to the job market. The conference was
organized by Women in Energy Awards, an annual conference and
awards ceremony that brings together women in the energy sector
to share best practices and discuss the latest innovations within the
energy field.
Linah is a teacher and the head of the science department at a
secondary school in Mombasa; she also trains and coaches teachers
on how to teach effectively with technology. During her session, she
discussed the role women in energy can play in mentoring young
girls and encouraging them to enter STEM fields. She shared stories about the girls she mentors at her school’s Girls in STEM club, highlighting the work they’ve done to create clean energy solutions from waste products.
Report Date...: 1/13/20
Fellows collaborate to support TechGirl’s professional journey
Fellow(s): Zainab Saleen, Maya Itani Shourbaji, Lara Chikhani, Rasha Sukkarieh
Country: Lebanon, Pakistan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Youth Engagement
Recently, TechWomen fellows joined forces to support a TechGirls alumna in pursuing her professional goals. Earlier this year, 2014 TechGirls alumna Greta Nehme met 2017 TechWomen fellows of Lebanon Maya Itani Shourbaji, Lara Chikhani and Rasha Sukkarieh at a TechWomen/TechGirls networking event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. Greta, a newly graduated mechanical and aeronautical engineer, spoke to the fellows about her challenge finding work in her field within Lebanon.
After their conversation, the fellows connected Greta to 2017 fellow of Pakistan Zainab Saleem, who holds a master’s in aerospace and aeronautical engineering and works at Finland’s ICEYE as an attitude and orbit control system engineer. Zainab asked Greta to submit her resume and, after Zainab submitted a recommendation, Greta interviewed with ICEYE’s mechanical team and was offered an internship.
Greta traveled to Finland and began her internship at ICEYE this past October, working as an intern through the end of 2019. At the conclusion of her internship, she was offered a one-year job contract to continue working at ICEYE. “We often eat lunch together, and keep discussing where she can apply for a master’s. She will also work with me in other STEM outreach activities,” says Zainab. “The world is huge! But impactful programs like these make the world so small and so beautiful.”
Report Date...: 1/6/20
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
