Impact Stories from Environmental Sustainability Policy Area
Fellow(s): Adetoun Akitoye
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow hosts chemistry educators event at UNILAG
Adetoun was commended on her food insecurity research at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.
Fellow Adetoun Akitoye (Nigeria, 2022), a lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), recently hosted the Women Chemistry Educators Network event, “Shaping the Future: Teaching and Mentorship for Women Chemistry Educators,” supported by the Royal Society of Chemistry. The gathering brought together leaders in academia to explore the transformative role of mentorship and continuous learning in the sciences.
Adetoun, who mentors undergraduates and champions innovation and food security research at the university, led the event with a focus on community, growth, and collaboration. During a presentation of her work at the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, she was commended by U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. for her efforts to combat food insecurity in her country.
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Report Date...: 04/07/2025
Fellow(s): Assala Dob, Elghers Nesrine, Gasmi Rim, Imen Lezzam, and Nassima Farhi
Country: Algeria
Cohort: 2024
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development, Public Health
Team Algeria 2024 Seed Grant Winners Advance to Product Distribution with “Camel Bright Solutions”
Fellows Assala Dob, Elghers Nesrine, Gasmi Rim, Imen Lezzam, and Nassima Farhi of Team Algeria 2024 have just surpassed the testing phase and are now on the path to product distribution for their TechWomen seed grant-winning impact project, Camel Bright Solutions.
Addressing the urgent issue of the approximately 500 devastating road accidents that occur in Southern Algeria each year, primarily at night and often involving camel collisions , the team developed Camel Bright Solutions. This product line of fluorescent, reflective, and adjustable collars for camels are designed to make the animals visible from up to 1,500 feet away by drivers. These lightweight, comfortable collars will not only enhance road safety but also help camel owners track their livestock more effectively.
Since receiving $3,000 in seed grant funding, the team has successfully moved from concept to implementation. They have completed the design phase, ensuring the collars are adjustable for camels of all sizes, and developed a prototype with a local supplier. Field testing at a camel farm confirmed that the collars fit securely and did not cause discomfort.
With promising results from testing, the team is now working on the next critical step: distribution. They have initiated discussions with Algeria’s Ministry of Agriculture to define a large-scale deployment strategy, aiming to make Camel Bright Solutions widely accessible. By improving visibility on roads, their innovation has the potential to significantly reduce accidents, save lives, and protect the livelihoods of families who depend on camels.
Report Date...: 03/03/2025
Fellow(s): Patience Muchawa
Country: Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability
Fellow joins UN-Habitat in sustainable development role
Fellow Patience Ruvimbo Muyambo, née Muchawa (Zimbabwe, 2022) has recently announced her advancement into the role of national consultant for UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Program). In this capacity, she will be contributing to the Achieved Energy and Resource Efficiencies in Zimbabwe’s Built Environment project—an initiative aimed at establishing a national baseline for energy, water and material consumption, developing a green building rating and certification system, and enhancing energy and resource efficiency standards in Zimbabwe’s construction sector.
Patience, an IFC Edge Expert and sustainability advocate, is committed to ensuring that Africa’s context is reflected in global green building standards.
“This is more than a project,” she shares. “It’s a chance to drive meaningful change in urban development, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve access to clean, reliable energy for communities in Zimbabwe.”
Report Date...: 02/24/2025
Fellow(s): Adetoun Akitoye
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow Honored Top Ph.D. Thesis Awards for Research on Food Security at University of Lagos, Nigeria Convocation
Fellow Adetoun Akitoye, Ph.D. (Nigeria, 2022) earned the Overall Best Ph.D. Thesis Award and Best Ph.D. Thesis in Science Award this January at the University of Lagos, Nigeria (UNILAG) convocation, where she delivered a valedictorian speech. Recognized for her groundbreaking research in industrial chemistry, Adetoun’s work focuses on reducing post-harvest losses in cassava, a critical crop for food security in Nigeria.
Her award-winning thesis, which she discussed in a recent interview, explores methods to inhibit excess reactive oxygen species production, extending the shelf life of cassava and mitigating food waste.
“This remarkable achievement is, in many ways, a testament to the inspiration I received from TechWomen,” she shared. “The fellowship provided the necessary exposure that empowered me to break barriers, think innovatively and approach challenges differently.”
Beyond academia, Adetoun is committed to mentoring young women in STEM and leading initiatives to create scalable agricultural solutions. Through her foundation, Mademoiselle, she is working to bridge research and real-world applications, collaborating with policymakers, NGOs and private sectors to implement strategies that benefit smallholder farmers and reduce food waste.
Report Date...: 01/20/2025
Fellow(s): Ijeoma Vincent-Akpu
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow collaborates on green tech research and patent
Fellow Ijeoma Vincent-Akpu, PhD (Nigeria, 2017) has collaborated with other researchers to secure two patents for innovations that convert waste plastic into high-grade hydrocarbon products. Supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), BOSKEL Nigeria Ltd., and University of Port Harcourt, where she works as a professor of Ecotoxicology and Hydrobiology, the groundbreaking research addresses global plastic waste challenges by integrating academic expertise with industrial collaboration.
“This is a great collaboration between ‘gown (government-owned institutions) and industry,’” Ijeoma remarked in a recent post. “Join us as we get rid of waste plastics from planet earth.”
Ijeoma recently concluded a two-year tenure as President of the Association for Environmental Impact Assessment of Nigeria, an affiliate of the International Association for Impact Assessment.
Report Date...: 12/30/2024
Fellow(s): (fellows) Aliaa Ahmed, Ainura Sagyn, Binta Moustapha, Ouafa Belgacem, Sabina Nforba, and Tofara Chekera, and (mentors) Katie Penn and Queen Denchukwu
Country: Cameroon, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Tunisia, United States, Zimbabwe
Cohort: 2014, 2017, 2020-2021, 2022, 2023
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellows & Mentors play key roles in opening weeks of 79th UN General Assembly
Fellows Aliaa Ahmed (Egypt, 2022), Ainura Sagyn (Kyrgyzstan, 2017), Binta Moustapha (Nigeria, 2014), Ouafa Belgacem (Tunisia, 2023), Sabina Nforba (Cameroon, 2020-2021) and Tofara Chekera (Zimbabwe, 2022), and Mentors Katie Penn and Queen Denchukwu reportedly participated in various capacities at the opening weeks of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York this September.
Several Fellows took on leadership and speaking roles. At the UN Summit of the Future, Tofara, Founder of Tofara Online Trust, took the stage to deliver a speech on “how embracing the digital world unlocks a future filled with endless opportunities.” Similarly, Aliaa, Director of Foreign Relations and Policy Affairs at the Egyptian Food Bank (EFB), participated in an open dialogue on transforming global governance and promoting the implementation of Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development at the Summit of the Future. There, she underscored the EFB’s efforts to empower youth through development initiatives aimed at tackling food security challenges. Binta, Founder of youth training initiative Cabinet Hub Zinder and STEM education program Elmira Schools, was invited to speak at the Intergenerational Partnerships for Just Climate Transition and Digital Futures workshop, a part of the UN Summit of the Future organized by UN University-IIGH at Columbia University.
Meanwhile, Sabina hosted and launched a groundbreaking policy brief on Artificial Intelligence for Youth Sustainable Development in Africa, which she called her “legacy as the Digital Innovation Lead at the African Union.” This brief, developed by the Office of the AU Chairperson’s Youth Envoy in collaboration with the UN Global Compact & African Export-Import Bank, shares lessons Sabina learned through the Make Africa Digital initiative which she coordinated and led for the past two years.
Report Date...: 09/30/2024
Fellow(s): Olamide Ayeni
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow selected for Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship
Fellow Olamide Ayeni (Nigeria, 2017), Chief People Officer of waste transformation organization HOPCYKU, has been named a 2025 finalist of the Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship. In this role, she will contribute her expertise to critical marine, coastal and Great Lakes policy issues for the U.S. Executive Branch.
“I’m especially glad that the work I do through HOPCYKU, bringing life to discarded waste products that would have otherwise ended up in our oceans and lakes, serves as the bedrock of my passion for sustainable solutions,” shared Olamide, who is pursuing a Master of Engineering and Industrial Management at Michigan Tech University.
The Knauss Fellowship offers graduate students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience developing and implementing national policy. Finalists are selected by panels of national experts in marine science, policy and education.
Report Date...: 09/30/2024
Fellow(s): Reshma Singh
Country:
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Entrepreneurship, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Mentor Leads Cradle to Commerce 2024 Summit at LBNL
Mentor Reshma Singh, Program Director of Cradle to Commerce (C2C), recently led the C2C 2024 Summit at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).
C2C is a partnership of four national labs and three private incubators. Reshma delivered opening addresses and closing remarks for this invite-only two-day event that convened experts and thought leaders in the fields of nuclear energy, renewables, grid modernization and energy storage. Spotlighting C2C’s startups, National Lab experts, and industry partners, the summit amplified pioneering solutions in climate technology through key note addresses, panel discussions, live pitches, a startup showcase, tours of LBNL facilities and meaningful networking opportunities.
Report Date...: 09/30/2024
Fellow(s): Tolulope Erinosho
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2022
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow Hosts APWEN at Federal University Solar Plant
Fellow Tolulope Erinosho (Nigeria, 2022) recently welcomed the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) to the ongoing 3.0 MW Solar Hybrid Power Plant project site located at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), where she works as a lecturer and researcher. This initiative forms part of the Federal Government’s Energizing Education Program (EEP) and the Nigeria Electrification Project (NEP), aimed at enhancing renewable electricity access for off-grid communities and establishing training centers for renewable energy across beneficiary universities. The advanced infrastructure features 16,300 units of 545W solar panels and a design focused on reliability.
“[The women’s] enthusiasm was a testament to the project’s impact, not just in providing energy solutions but also in inspiring the next generation of engineers,” Tolulope shared. “Together, we can unlock the future.”
Report Date...: 09/23/2024
Fellow(s): (fellow) Houa Seghouani & (mentor) Joyce E. Coffee
Country: Algeria, United States
Cohort: 2023
Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development
Fellow launches Impact Podcast with Mentor as 1st guest
Fellow Houa Seghouani (Algeria, 2023) recently hosted mentor Joyce E. Coffee, on her newly launched Impact Podcast, to capture the stories of women changemakers in STEM.
In this episode, Houa captures the inspiring story and insights behind Joyce’s founding of Climate Resilience Consulting. With a bachelor’s degree in biology and master’s degree in urban planning from M.I.T., Joyce seeks to “create resilience for all rather than just avoid risk for some.”
Joyce has spent more than 25 years leading green technology projects, with experience not only in the U.S., but also in the Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan.
Houa is an experienced electrical engineer and the founder of the Net3alem initiative, an online platform for STEM and language training. She is a fellow of both the TechGirls and TechWomen programs. Bringing her journey full circle, she recently served as a 2024 Local Engagement Coordinator for the Algerian TechGirls, supporting participants and preparing them for their journeys to the U.S.
Report Date...: 09/09/2024
