Impact Stories from Environmental Sustainability Policy Area
Fellows work together to inspire youth in Turkmenistan
Fellow(s): Merjen Saparmyradova, Maral Rejepova, Nasiba Charykulyyeva
Country: Turkmenistan
Cohort: 2019, 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2019 fellow Merjen Saparmyradova participated in the UNFPA Turkmenistan International Youth Day celebration, recruiting fellows Maral Rejepova (2019) and Nasiba Charykulyyeva (2020-2021) to help her educate and motivate young people in Turkmenistan.
The three-day event offered online seminars and training for youth, featuring sessions on emerging technologies, cyber security, women in tech and more. Merjen, who is currently a visiting lecturer at the International University for the Humanities and Development, led the Youth and Girls in Technology session for 150 youth ages 10-24.
Merjen began the session with a presentation on cyber security and the future of technology, and Maral shared about her work with 5G technology and her TechWomen mentorship at Qualcomm. “Speaking about my mentorship caused great admiration, motivated them and gave a clear understanding that they can reach heights if they pursue their goals,” she said. Nasiba concluded with a presentation on nanotechnology and the manufacturing of the third generation of solar cells. Each session was followed by a Q&A where the participants could ask the fellows questions about their fields of expertise. “I saw sparking excitement in the eyes of our youth when they asked us questions,” said Merjen. “We aimed to come together and work with with youth to build a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.”
Report Date...: 8/30/21
Two fellows named to a Top 5 Nigerian Women in Tech list
Fellow(s): Carolyn Seaman, Olamide Ayeni
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This month, 2017 fellows Carolyn Seaman and Olamide Ayeni-Babajide were named to the Top 5 Nigerian Women in Technology list from WebNation Africa, a media company sharing stories of African business, politics and culture. The list features five women who are creating change and positively impacting communities in Nigeria and beyond.
Carolyn is the founder of Girls Voices, an initiative that trains and empowers adolescent girls in human rights, STEM skills and leadership. Girls Voices has reached over 300,000 girls through their programs, and has collaborated with the UN to create policies that seek to end child marriage, violence against women and human trafficking. Carolyn was also recently featured in a World Pulse #SheTransformsTech article about her work with girls in Nigeria during the pandemic.
Olamide founded Pearl Recycling, an initiative that collects waste such as plastic, car tires, newspapers and other recyclables and trains youth and women to transform them into furniture and upcycled items.
Olamide was recently included in an International Youth Day campaign by the British High Commission in Nigeria, sharing her thoughts on how young people have the power to create change: “We hope that young people will stop waiting for the world to call them to the table when they can actually build theirs,” she said.
Report Date...: 8/23/21
Fellows hold summer camp for over 100 students
Fellow(s): Damilola Asaleye, Ehi Aigiomawu, Flora Asibe, Happy Amos, Olayinka Fagbemiro and Oluwatoyin Adegoke
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
This week, 2020-2021 fellows Damilola Asaleye, Ehi Aigiomawu, Flora Asibe, Happy Amos, Olayinka Fagbemiro and Oluwatoyin Adegoke successfully hosted a five day summer camp for children in partnership with the Girls and Women Technological Empowerment Organisation (GWTEO). The EduChamps summer camp is part of the 2020-2021 Nigerian fellows’ action plan project created during the TechWomen program to reduce the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.
The camp was attended by over 100 secondary school students, most of whom were girls. Over five days, the students were placed into break out sessions where each group discussed leadership, efficiency, upcycling, solar energy and sustainability. They also received training on various topics including entrepreneurship, financial literacy, renewable energy, team building, sustainable agriculture and more. In addition to workshops and training, the students heard inspiring keynotes from women in STEM who encouraged them to be ambitious, dream big and believe they can be world leaders.
The goal of the camp was to provide an opportunity for students to network, learn leadership and technical skills and visit educational institutions during the summer break. “Through this program, we believe that these kids are better prepared and inspired to return to school having the right mindset on the importance of education and are empowered with the resources to enable them remain in school,” Flora said. Next, the fellows will continue to work with partners to further prepare the students for the upcoming fall school term.
Report Date...: 8/16/21
Fellows serve as TechGirls Pitch and Project Mentors
Fellow(s): CSA and MENA fellows
Country:
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Recently, a TechWomen-TechGirls Summit was held where over 100 TechGirls participants from 12 countries presented their pitches on community-based project initiatives to address issues with the environment, education systems, the gender gap, technology disparities, mental health and more. Select TechWomen fellows served as mentors to TechGirls participants, assisting them from the beginning of the process with solution ideation all the way to this pitch summit. Despite their young age, both the fellows and session facilitators were impressed by the TechGirls participants’ commitment to achieve their project despite the constraints due to the ongoing pandemic. They noted the girls’ outstanding professionalism that allowed for feedback on each project to be shared effectively and for concrete next steps to be planned all while making meaningful connections with one another. “This TechWomen-TechGirls Summit is the perfect moment to understand the impact of bringing women and girls from different countries, sectors and backgrounds,” said Salma Gherraby, 2019 fellow and project mentor for TechGirls Morocco. “While discussing issues around the world, they all show the importance of STEM to resolve those problems.”
Report Date...: 8/16/21
Fellow named Anitab.org Abie Award winner
Fellow(s): Ainura Sagyn
Country: Kyrgyzstan
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
This week 2017 fellow Ainura Sagyn was named an Anitab.org Abie Award winner, recognized for her career success, her commitment to her community and her dedication to improving the world. Ainura is the co-founder and CEO of Tazar, a mobile app that seeks to reduce waste in landfills by connecting waste producers with recyclers. She is currently studying for her master’s in computer vision and image processing at the Autonomous University of Madrid. Ainura was named the Student of Vision Award winner for using technology to solve leading issues and working to inspire more women to enter technology fields. In addition to receiving a cash prize, Ainura will be speaking at the Virtual Grace Hopper Celebration later this year, presenting on when ideas meet action. “Every idea and opportunity I’ve had I turned to action, from mentoring girls to organizing a coding training for schoolgirls in all regions of Kyrgyzstan, or helping the planet by using Tazar to reduce the pervasive problem of litter and waste in Kyrgyzstan,” she said.
Read More »Report Date...: 8/9/21
Fellow named sustainability ambassador by Egypt government
Fellow(s): Ghada Amin
Country: Egypt
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
2018 fellow Ghada Amin was named an ambassador of sustainable development by Egypt’s Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, an initiative that seeks to build capacity around environmental sustainability through training and partnerships with universities, NGO’s and the private sector. Ghada is part of a small group of ambassadors chosen out of over 7,000 candidates. Ghada, a researcher and engineer in the field of sustainable development, will soon enter certification training in order to learn more about sustainable development, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Egypt’s sustainability priorities. After, Ghada will begin working with schools and youth for training on the UN SDGs, educating them in order to help create a culture of sustainability. Previously, Ghada attended the UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science Assembly in New York, sharing best practices on advancing women and girls in science.
Read More »Report Date...: 8/9/21
Alumnae work together for new sustainability initiative
Fellow(s): Elena Selezneva, Saida Yusupova, Erin Keeley, Gisele Beatrice Sonfack
Country: Cameroon, United States, Uzbekistan
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
2016 fellows of Uzbekistan Elena Selezneva and Saida Yusupova collaborated with 2016 fellow of Cameroon Gisele Beatrice Sonfack and mentor Erin Keeley to deliver workshops on mentorship and best practices for mentoring women in technology. The workshops were organized by Tech4Impact, the initiative Elena and Saida founded that nurtures IT, innovation, green tech and women’s entrepreneurship in Uzbekistan and Central Asia. They recently launched their latest project, Accelerating Women’s Climate Change Tech Startups in Uzbekistan, with funding from the United Nations Democracy Fund. The two-year project will train and support women in the Karakalpakstan region of Uzbekistan, helping them establish businesses and initiatives that address the social and economic effects of climate change. The program includes a six-month accelerator program that will establish a culture of mentorship in the region and connect women-led startups to investors.
Elena and Saida recruited Erin and Gisele to deliver workshops for Tech4Impact’s trainers, sharing best practices in mentorship and how mentors can support and guide mentees. Erin, the global director of engineering at Hitachi GST, also spoke about the green tech ecosystem in Silicon Valley, sharing various initiatives that aim to combat the climate crisis. Gisele, a current Schlumberger Foundation Faculty for the Future fellow, spoke about setting SMART Goals, mentoring techniques and the importance of mentoring women in STEM fields. “We are very thankful to TechWomen community for connecting us all and supporting us for all these years,” said Elena.
Report Date...: 8/2/21
Fellow launches SheTechs to empower girls with STEM skills
Fellow(s): Chioma Ezedi-Chukwu
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Youth Engagement
2016 fellow Chioma Ezedi-Chukwu recently launched SheTechs, a training program that educates girls ages 13-22 in web development, electronics and robotics skills. The program, launched in May 2021, is a part of Learn By Building, a foundation established by Chioma that implements her community-based programs. In addition to leading SheTechs, Chioma is the co-founder of STEMTeers, an initiative that engages secondary school students in STEM learning; STEMTeers has launched STEM clubs in 21 schools and has engaged over 500 students through its programming. Chioma was also named a Next Einstein Forum Ambassador, and will serve in the role through 2021.
The 15 girls in SheTech’s inaugural training, led by trainers funded by the Development Exchange Centre, began with a primer on computer basics, learning about the components of a computer as well as how to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and more. Shortly after, the group moved on to web development, studying HTML and experimenting with HTML code. “The participants had their first project practice on the topic, and created their first sign up page. It was an exciting moment for everyone because they all performed well,” says the SheTechs blog. This week, SheTechs began their second cohort, engaging a new group of girls in STEM skills. Chioma hopes to expand the program’s reach, and is seeking additional computers to include more girls.
Report Date...: 7/19/21
Fellow authors article on telecommunications in rural areas
Fellow(s): Nomso Kana
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2013
Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
2013 fellow Nomso Kana authored an article for Bytes.za, an online report from
South Africa’s Department of Communications and Digital Technologies. Nomso is
a broadband infrastructure entrepreneur as well as a nuclear scientist who
currently serves as the governor of the Nuclear Energy Foundation Agency.
Her article, Mobile Broadband for Rural Connectivity, outlines key factors that
hinder connectivity and communication in rural communities of South Africa, and
proposes solutions that will increase connectivity and minimize infrastructure
challenges. “Internet access is vital in these economic times,” writes Nomso. “In
these challenging times of the contactless COVID-19 pandemic, connectivity is
more needed than before, as it can support distance education, healthcare, and
the economy.” Nomso proposes cost-effective solutions to the challenges faced
in rural areas, such as a combination of solar powered and on-grid power as well
as anti-theft mechanisms for telecom equipment. “It has been proven that mobile internet connectivity is an
economic multiplier that can transform rural communities,” she writes.
Report Date...: 7/12/21
With AU grant fellow begins research on sugarcane in Kenya
Fellow(s): Edith Mugehu
Country: Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2018
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Growth
2018 fellow Edith Mugehu was named a recipient of the 2021 Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme, an African Union program that supports higher education cooperation between countries in Africa by providing financial support to educational institutions and supporting its students.
Edith is a PhD candidate in plant breeding and biotechnology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, as well as a research associate at the Zimbabwe Sugar Association Experiment Station. Recently, she began her six-month research stay at Kenyatta University in Kenya, where she is conducting ground-breaking research that will contribute to food security and poverty alleviation in Sub-Saharan Africa. She is working on identifying beneficial genes in Zimbabwean sugarcane germplasm, as well as developing a tissue culture protocol that will be adopted by the Zimbabwe sugar industry in order to help farmers reduce costs associated with the propagation of sugarcane seed. Since TechWomen, Edith has been awarded all five grant or scholarship programs she has applied for. “I bloomed after and because of TechWomen,” she said. “I got a confidence boost. I can address any audience without fearing that I’m not good enough. I can now set bigger research goals because I realize how extraordinary I am. Because of TechWomen, I always want to make other young women and girls feel the same way and look at life with the same ambition and hope.”
Report Date...: 7/5/21
