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Impact Stories from Entrepreneurship Policy Area

Fellow(s): Rawan Abukhadrah

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship

On April 2, Rawan Abukhadrah, 2016 fellow of Jordan, launched her mobile application, Jeel. The application aims to support parents in developing physical, cognitive and emotional skills of their children, from infants to preteens. Jeel is based on more than two years of research conducted with Ulm University in Germany and focuses on both parents and their children by utilizing online and offline platforms and activities

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Report Date...: 4/17/2017


Fellow(s): Afnan Ali

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2011

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Youth Engagement

Afnan Ali, 2011 fellow of Jordan, founded Eureka Tech Academy in 2013 to teach children the concepts of engineering and invention to transform ideas into products. Since then, more than 500 students have participated in her programs, and she has developed a team of three full-time and 19 part-time employees. In December 2016, Afnan pitched Eureka at the Rise Up Summit in Cairo, Egypt. She was one of six entrepreneurs selected out of 23 pitches to participate in a 10-day acceleration program hosted by RiseUp and TechWadi in Silicon Valley.

 

 

Report Date...: 4/10/2017


Fellow(s): Abiola Illupeju

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2015

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship

Abiola Ilupeju, 2015 fellow of Nigeria, founded Moat Academy in 2016 to support locally developed, high-quality software by providing training to ICT graduates to increase their qualifications and employability. In January, the academy’s first cohort graduated, followed by another cohort in March.

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Report Date...: 3/27/2017


Craftista

Fellow(s): Mariam Keriakos

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2015

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship

Mariam Keriakos has utilized the skills and confidence gained during the TechWomen program to start her own business. On March 6, Mariam launched Craftista.me, an online marketplace, which sells Egyptian and Middle Eastern handmade crafts to a global customer base. She describes her company as a social business, which aims to empower artisans and to harness the power of technology. With this platform, designers and manufacturers can sell their products, including jewelry, fabrics and clothing, on a global marketplace. In addition to her newest enterprise, Mariam created the ASPIRE program, which teaches children in under-resourced areas about technology and innovation, upon returning home from the program.

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Report Date...: 3/13/2017


Eurasia Mobile Challenge

Fellow(s): Nazira Sherlay

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship

Nazira Sherlay, 2016 fellow of Kyrgyzstan, traveled to Yerevan, Armenia, to participate in the Eurasia Mobile Challenge Regional Final from January 24-25. For the competition, her team developed a mobile application, Charba, which serves as an educational and trading platform for farmers. It provides information on market prices and trends to help farmers be more profitable. Nazira’s team was selected as one of 24 finalists from nearly 1,000 registered teams representing Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

 

Report Date...: 1/23/2017


Mentor(s): Anar Simpson

Company: Mozilla

Mentor Type: Impact

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship

Anar Simpson, six-year TechWomen mentor, attended the 2016 Women’s Forum Global Meeting from November 30 – December 2 in Deauville, France. At the event, she participated in a panel on how influencers can better promote women’s entrepreneurship in new sectors. She also discussed what others can do to help female entrepreneurs, as venture capitalists adopting blind pitch reviews, companies like Google actively encouraging women’s entrepreneurship with programs like #40Forward, and governments creating funds for female entrepreneurs

Report Date...: 11/28/2016


e-learning startup

Fellow(s): Ghana Bteich

Country: Lebanon

Cohort: 2015

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Entrepreneurship, Youth Engagement

Ghana Bteich, 2015 fellow of Lebanon, recently co-founded a startup that is developing an e-learning platform to provide after-school support for students in need. She has more than 10 years of experience in telecommunications and is applying for the Hubert Humphrey Fellowship Program under the field of educational planning to acquire more knowledge related to developing curriculum and program designs.

Report Date...: 8/15/2016


Entrepreneurship Summer School

Fellow(s): Ouafa Benterki

Country: Algeria

Cohort: 2012

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship

Ouafa Benterki, 2012 fellow of Algeria, was a featured speaker at the Entrepreneurship Summer School in Algiers, Algeria, organized by the University of Science and Technology – Houari Boumediene in partnership with the Global Entrepreneurship Network. The conference held on July 17-21, brought together experts from the United States, Serbia, Moldovia, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, France, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria with backgrounds in technology, business and entrepreneurship convened to inspire students and professionals. Ouafa presented two topics: turning an idea into a startup and natural language processing. She discussed her experience developing a startup and referenced the TechWomen program as a major motivator and influence.

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Report Date...: 8/1/2016


Lecture

Fellow(s): Omnia Eteyari

Country: Libya

Cohort: 2013

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship

Omnia Eteyari hosted a lecture on entrepreneurship in Tripoli. The event, “From Idea to Company,” aimed to introduce Libyans to the concept of entrepreneurship and how to turn their ideas into a reality. Omnia touched on market research, customer segmentation and idea validation, among other topics, as she walked the audience through the different stages in developing a startup. .Numerous female-led businesses supported Omnia in planning the event by offering venue space, refreshments and photography services. A total of 250 people attended.

Report Date...: 8/1/2016


Searching for Martha

Fellow(s): Sylvia Mukasa, Angel Bisamaza, Zimkhita Buwa, Neza Guillaine, Marthe Beatrice Kepseu, Rumbidzai Rosemary Mambo, Marie Claire Murekatete, Winnie Ngamije

Country: Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Zimbabwe

Cohort: 2013&2014

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship

During the 2015 Transform Africa Summit, eight TechWomen fellows collaborated on an initiative to empower youth women entrepreneurs in Africa. The initiative, called “Searching for Martha,” aims to offer training to young African girls to develop, sell and promote mobile apps.

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Report Date...: 11/16/2015


« Previous 1 … 45 46 47 48 Next »

Impact Story Policy Areas

  • Economic Impact
  • Education Diplomacy/Mentoring
  • Empowering Women and Girls
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Sustainability
  • Professional Development
  • Professional Growth
  • Public Health
  • Special Report
  • Youth Engagement
Back To Impact Map

Recent Impact Stories

  • Fellow(s): Elmira Obry

    Country: Kazakhstan

    Region: MENA

    Cohort: 2022

    Project/Action: Fellow showcases digital health Innovation at GITEX Europe

    Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Public Health

    Fellow Elmira Obry (Kazakhstan, 2022), founder of Foody.AI, represented Kazakhstan’s growing tech ecosystem at GITEX Europe, May 21 to 23 in Berlin, Germany. Foody.AI, a digital health platform that integrates artificial intelligence with nutrition science, was featured among global startups and presented directly to investors, partners and ecosystem leaders — including Zhaslan Madiyev, Kazakhstan’s Minister of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry.
    Backed by local accelerators such as Astana Hub and MOST Ventures, Foody.AI is part of a new wave of tech solutions designed to meet global health challenges through personalized, preventive approaches. It uses AI-driven tools to deliver customized nutrition guidance, helping users make data-informed decisions about their daily wellness. Already gaining early traction in five countries, the platform is preparing for broader international expansion.
    “We’re proud that our product was born in Kazakhstan — a country that is now laying the foundations for the next generation of the digital economy,” said Elmira, who also represented Foody.AI earlier this year at Central Asia Startup Cup in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.​

    Read More »

    Report Date: 07/14/2025

  • Fellow(s): Aseel Honein

    Country: Lebanon

    Region: MENA

    Cohort: 2013

    Project/Action: Fellow honored as a 2025 L’Oréal Woman of Worth

    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.”

    Read More »

    Report Date: 07/14/2025

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