Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area

Fellow discusses TechWomen on Reality Cheque podcast

Fellow(s): Roshaan [Saeed] Sheikh (Pakistan, 2022)

Country: Pakistan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Development

Roshaan discussed her career journey, opportunities for startups, and tips for acing the TechWomen application during her 45-minute interview with the Reality Cheque podcast.

Fellow Roshaan [Saeed] Sheikh (Pakistan, 2022) was recently interviewed as a guest speaker on the podcast, “Reality Cheque.” In the 45-minute episode, entitled “The Future of UX & UI Designers, Artificial Intelligence and Workplace Harassment,” Roshaan shares her journey starting out as a freelancer and blogger in user interface and experience design, going on to roles with larger companies like Affinity and Al-Jazeera, and most recently founding her own startup, STIPPPLE, an online marketplace for freelance designers. She also expounds upon the TechWomen application process, the complexity of the venture capital sector and startup opportunities based on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To close, she highlights workplace issues, such as harassment, and the importance of knowing your laws and rights.

Report Date...: 07/17/2023

Fellow(s): Baratang Miya (South Africa, 2015)

Country: South Africa

Cohort: 2015

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Baratang, co-founder of GirlHype Women Who Code, was recently interviewed by world-renowned Ebony magazine on her journey to bridge the digital divide in South Africa.

Fellow Baratang Miya (South Africa, 2015), co-founder of GirlHype Women Who Code, was recently interviewed by Ebony magazine to discuss her entrepreneurship journey and efforts to overcome the digital divide for women in her home country. EBONY magazine, founded in 1945, is one of the premier international magazines dedicated to spotlighting the brightest among people of African-descent. GirlHype is a registered nonprofit organization that has trained more than one million women and girls in coding. “I started working on GirlHype 20 years ago before there was social media presence and platforms like Facebook,” Baratang shared. “For me, it was more about making sure that women and girls have access to opportunities.” Baratang is a leader in her tech community, often serving as a speaker, writer and advisor for publications and events. She is also the founder of Women Tech Policy Hub (WTPH), which teaches policy entrepreneurship to leading women in STEM.

Report Date...: 07/10/2023

Fellow helps launch Central Asian mentoring program

Fellow(s): Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Darika spoke at Kurak Women’s Forum’s recent launch of a groundbreaking pan-Central Asian entrepreneurial mentoring program for women in the clothing industry.

Fellow Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022), recently participated in the launch a first-of-its-kind pan-Central Asian entrepreneurial mentoring program for women in the garment industry. This is an initiative of the Kurak Women’s Forum NGO (Kurak), where Darika serves as a board member, with the support of the USAID Trade Program in Central Asia and the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic. Darika will serve as both a mentor and coach for the initiative, which features entrepreneurs from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Russia working alongside coaches from Europe and the U.S. “By supporting and inspiring women in business, we believe that we create a positive effect for society as a whole,” Darika wrote in a recent post. “A happy woman with burning eyes can work wonders.”

Report Date...: 07/10/2023

Fellow-founded incubator joins AfriLabs network

Fellow(s): Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022)

Country:

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Ichraf’s incubator, Hive 12, has recently partnered with AfriLabs along with 19 other tech and innovation hubs on the African continent.

Hive 12, a multi-faceted incubator founded by fellow Ichraf Jarray (Tunisia, 2022), has recently entered into a partnership with AfriLabs, one of Africa’s leading networks of technology and innovation hubs. In a milestone expansion event, Hive 12 represented one of 19 new hubs from Angola, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Tunisia and Zimbabwe to join the AfriLabs network this spring. “This partnership marks the first step towards developing African markets for our startups, creating opportunities for both parties, and expanding our network,” Ichraf shared in a recent post. Hive12 operates as not only an incubator, but also a co-working space and consulting practice with the recent addition of a research and development department all to serve early-stage startups for women and youth.

Report Date...: 07/10/2023

Fellow promoted to branch office head of ISTC

Fellow(s): Aziza Haydarova (Tajikistan, 2022 )

Country: Tajikistan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow promoted to branch office head of ISTC

Fellow Aziza Haydarova (Tajikistan, 2022 ) has recently been appointed the new Head of Branch Office of the International Science and Technology Center (ISTC) in Dushanbe. The ISTC is an intergovernmental organization that connects scientists from Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia with their research organizations and peers in the European Union, Japan, South Korea, Norway and the United States. Aziza, an attorney, has dedicated 10 years to the ISTC Dushanbe office, most recently serving as a deputy manager. Aziza credited the TechWomen program with opening the doors in her career that have led to this promotion. “Only [TechWomen] could give me the opportunity to be the best version of myself,” she wrote in a recent letter. “This program is a great opportunity to discover new, unreleased traits in [one’s] character.”

Report Date...: 07/15/2023

Fellow awarded for Covid-19 Medical Library Guide

Fellow(s): Diala Al Samarani (Lebanon, 2022)

Country: Lebanon

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow awarded for Covid-19 Medical Library Guide

“COVID-19 USEK Medical Library Guide,” a digital guide created by fellow Diala Al Samarani (Lebanon, 2022), has won the 2023 PR Xchange Award in the materials promoting collections, services and resources category. Her guide connects Holy Spirit University of Kasilik (USEK) students and faculty with the online resources, services and tools available in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Diala’s guide was selected among over 215 entries in print and electronic formats, submitted from over 100 institutions, including libraries from the public, academic, school, state and specialty sectors. The PR Xchange Committee coordinates the annual awards competition under the direction of the Awards and Scholarships Subcommittee of Core, a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The competition was decided by 15 jurists and winning entries were displayed at the PR Xchange Event on Sunday, June 25 at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, IL.

Report Date...: 07/03/2023

Fellow hosts 5-week leadership course

Fellow(s): Damilola Asalaye (Nigeria, 2020-2021)

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow hosts 5-week leadership course

Fellow Damilola Asalaye (Nigeria, 2020-2021), Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Ashdam Solar Company, recently conducted a month-long online training course for women in leadership roles of the energy sector. “Energy Sector Women Leadership Initiative” ran from May 23 to June 23 and featured more than 15 workshop facilitators, including TechWomen alumnae Hannah Kabir Ahmed (2013), Happy Amos (2020-2021), Olayinka Fagbemiro (2020-2021) and Osazoduwa Agboneni (2019). The 40-hour curriculum covered 20 competency-based modules delivered over a five-week period with training topics such as navigating organizational politics, acquiring skills to coach and supervise, and networking strategically. In addition to her role as COO of Ashdam Solar Company, Damilola is Vice President of the Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria.

Report Date...: 06/26/2023

Fellow shares biz insights on Startups Arabia Podcast

Fellow(s): Eman Hylooz (Jordan, 2016)

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Entrepreneurship, Professional Development

Fellow shares biz insights on Startups Arabia Podcast

Fellow Eman Hylooz (Jordan, 2016), was interviewed on a recent Startups Arabia Podcast’s episode focused on the power of listening to one’s customers. Eman is the founder and CEO of Abjjad, the first subscription-based, Arabic-language e-book platform. Eman has a background in marketing and communications and has been recognized as one of the top female entrepreneurs in the Middle East. She previously worked at world-renowned auditing and tax firm, KPMG, for just four months before quitting to found her business. “One day after another, it felt like I was killing myself,” she discloses on her experience in corporate work. “When I went to [a startup bootcamp], I was so happy and energized. I realized there may be more to life than career and salary… that maybe I should just go after what makes me shine.” Eman goes on to share her story of winning $15,000 USD in seed grant funding, quitting her corporate job and bootstrapping her e-book business for several painful and insightful years before raising $1 million USD of venture capital in her 2020 series A investing round. “I always say it took a pandemic for publishers to realize the importance of digital and for investors to realize [the profitability] of digital.” Today, Abjjad is the largest Arabic e-book platform online with thousands of texts available to subscribers.

Report Date...: 06/19/2023

Fellow speaks at water and sanitation conference

Fellow(s): Sylvia Nyaga (Kenya, 2022)

Country: Kenya

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Fellow speaks at water and sanitation conference

Fellow Sylvia Nyaga (Kenya, 2022) led a session entitled, “Gender and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) financing: Overcoming challenges faced by women-led SMEs (small and midsized enterprises)” at the National Conference on Bankability and Blended financing for SMEs and WASH initiatives, held in Nairobi this spring. “Billions of people worldwide, including 1 billion people with #disabilities, still live without safely managed drinking water, safely managed sanitation and basic hygiene services,” Sylvia wrote in a recent post. “The financing of water and sanitation infrastructure projects in emerging markets is at the heart of this global challenge.” Sylvia is the founder of Syna Consultancy, a social enterprise dedicated to providing safe, inclusive and dignified sanitation experiences, with a focus on elderly, sick, and mobility-impaired individuals. Through Syna, she has developed the UTULAV toilet, an accessible and portable device for the physically challenged.

Report Date...: 06/19/2023

Fellow earns hydropower assessor accreditation

Fellow(s): Asligul (Mavluda) Mamadatoeva (Tajikistan, 2017)

Country: Tajikistan

Cohort: 2017

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Fellow earns hydropower assessor accreditation

Fellow Asligul (Mavluda) Mamadatoeva (Tajikistan, 2017) recently announced her completion of the Accredited Assessor training organized by the Hydropower Sustainability Training Academy based in London. Asligul works as a Senior Environmental and Social Officer at Pamir Energy Company (PE), where she has held a leadership role in the yearslong process of securing the Sebzor hydropower project as the first project of its kind to be certified by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, as announced on March 22, 2023. In her areas of expertise, Asligul held direct responsibility for 10 out of 12 topics assessed by the International Hydropower Association.

Report Date...: 06/19/2023

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