Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area

Fellow launches fintech product development course

Fellow(s): Azhar Mambetova (Kyrgyzstan, 2019)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow talks equity in tech in interview for The Ouut

Fellow Azhar Mambetova (Kyrgyzstan, 2019) recently launched a proprietary course entitled “Product Management – Launching Digital Financial Services.” The certificate-bearing course consists of five components targeted at financial services professionals seeking to create digital products. The course will instruct on identifying client needs, developing a minimum viable product, managing a development team, building a development process and analyzing product metrics. It also features several guest lecturers, including fellow Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022). Azhar believes her course will help “drive innovation and create remarkable products.” With over ten years of experience in fintech, she currently works as a managing director for Kompanion bank and a Digital Financial Services Consultant for the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in Bishkek.

Report Date...: 04/10/2023

Fellow talks equity in tech in interview for The Ouut

Fellow(s): Tamadur Almahdi Abukhamadah (Libya, 2022)

Country: Libya

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow talks equity in tech in interview for The Ouut

Fellow Tamadur Almahdi Abukhamadah (Libya, 2022) was recently interviewed by online emerging market news platform The Ouut for an article entitled “African Women In Tech; Tamadur Almahdi Discusses, Tech, Empowerment [and] Participation.” “Women are more likely to do the work that is behind the scenes…and end up unrecognized,” Tamadur explained, sharing her thoughts on the gendered digital divide. “The continuous unrecognition of women’s impact in various organizational projects can leave them feeling unappreciated…and ultimately mean they leave the job they are really good at and really love.” Tamadur is the Chief of Staff at Speetar, a health tech startup that has brought accessible, affordable and quality healthcare to over two million patients in conflict-affected communities since its launch in 2020. “At Speetar, we’re committed to fostering an inclusive environment and promoting women in leadership roles,” the company shared in a post on Tamadur’s interview.

Report Date...: 04/10/2023

Fellow initiative hosts U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission to raise awareness of State exchange programs

Fellow(s): Janatu Veronica Sesay (Sierra Leone, 2022)

Country: Sierra Leone

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Fellow initiative hosts U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission to raise awareness of State exchange programs

STEM Girls Initiative Sierra Leone, a program of which fellow Janatu Veronica Sesay (Sierra Leone, 2022) is founder and CEO, recently hosted U.S. Embassy Freetown Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie A. Bunce during an event held to raise awareness of exchange programs offered by the U.S. Department of State. Held at Njala University, the STEM Girls Initiative event was attended by hundreds of staff and students, to whom the U.S Embassy representatives provided insights and encouragement on eligibility and application for these programs and how to become part of a community of impact. Fellows from these programs, including TechWomen, Fulbright and YALI, also contributed to the program, sharing their exchange experiences and the positive impacts they’ve since been able to effect on their communities upon returning home. “TechWomen has helped me connect with changemakers across the globe and build lifelong relationships that will lead to collaboration,” and U.S. Public Relations Officer Sarah Van Horne, who was also in attendance at the event. STEM Girls Initiative Sierra Leone was born out of Janatu’s experience as a TechWomen Emerging Leader. It aims to raise awareness among junior and secondary school girls on how to find career paths in STEM, aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal three (SDG3).

Report Date...: 04/10/2023

Mentor publication calls for wide-scale net zero construction

Fellow(s): Mentor Reshma Singh

Country:

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

Mentor publication calls for wide-scale net zero construction

Mentor Reshma Singh recently guest authored the article “Buildings Belong at the Heart of Climate Action” for Environment+Energy Leader, a woman-owned online media publisher. In her article, Reshma discusses the central importance of green and SMART building design in the race to cut global greenhouse emissions, citing the Biden administration’s recent call for all new and substantially renovated buildings to attain carbon neutrality by 2030. With approximately 90% of the average human lifetime being spent indoors, Reshma explains, a serious impact on emissions can only occur through significant movement towards a net zero built environment. She goes on to discuss the growing, positive dialogue around net zero construction that is happening among business executives, academics and governments, pointing to the fruitful sentiments shared during a recent roundtable discussion she organized at this year’s Global Clean Energy Action Forum in Pittsburgh. “From where I stand,” she concludes, “the future is clear: first buildings, then neighborhoods, and then the whole world, running on clean energy that drives prosperity and benefits people and the planet.” Reshma is a Senior Advisor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Technologies Office. She works at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a program lead implementing two DOE initiatives: IMPEL, a tech-to-market program focused on building technologies, and Cradle to Commerce, an equity-centered climate tech entrepreneurship accelerator.

Report Date...: 04/03/2023

Fellow collabs with IEEE STEM on digital outreach

Fellow(s): Mistura Muibi-Tijani (Nigeria, 2022)

Country: Nigeria

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow collabs with IEEE STEM on digital outreach

VertSTEM, founded by fellow Mistura Muibi-Tijani (Nigeria, 2022), recently collaborated with IEEE STEM to organize, “Bridging the Digital and the Economic Divide 2.0,” a well-received event designed to increase awareness of STEM opportunities and careers among students in rural communities. Hosted by Ibarapa central local government of Oyo state, the event engaged students, teachers, parents and community leaders from three local governments of Oyo, providing “practical knowledge on how to generate electricity from the sun and the roles technology can play in mitigating the effects of climate change,” Mistura explained in a recent post. Mistura founded VertSTEM in 2021 to develop and educate the next generation of tech-savvy scholars, with an emphasis on first generation rural college students. She also serves as an IEEE Young Professionals chair in Nigeria and works as a full-time research engineer.

Report Date...: 04/23/2023

Fellow named AI Global Ambassador by SwissCognitive

Fellow(s): Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019)

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2019

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

Fellow named AI Global Ambassador by SwissCognitive

Fellow Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019) has recently been named an AI Global Ambassador 2023 by SwissCognitive, a world-leading artificial intelligence network that sources experts in the field of AI to facilitate the successful integration of the technology into the modern world. Reema is the founder and CEO of Galaxy Organization For Technology and a senior consultant for Tesla. She recently gave a speech on STEM skills for the job market at Al Hussein Technical University in Jordan, joined a panel for Swiss Cognitive entitled, “Redefining Business Performance with Generative AI,” and next week will deliver a keynote address for Women in AI USA focused on Generative AI Strategy for Boards and C Suites. Her recent TedX PSUT Talk on the future of jobs will soon be available for viewing.

Report Date...: 4/3/2023

Fellow launches DigiWomen Camp with USAID Future Growth Initiative

Fellow(s): Merjen Saparmyradova (Turkmenistan, 2019)

Country: Turkmenistan

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

Fellow launches DigiWomen Camp with USAID Future Growth Initiative

Fellow Merjen Saparmyradova (Turkmenistan, 2019), founder and director of Sanly Bilim Educational Center in Turkmenistan, has recently launched DigiWomen Camp in partnership with USAID’s Future Growth Initiative. This four-month program provides access to spaces and training in IT and software development for women and girls over the age of 16. The nearly 100 participants to-date, upon successful fulfillment of the program, will earn a completion certificate and have developed a portfolio and/or finished product to kick-start their own IT business. DigWomen Camp is the first program of its kind in Turkmenistan. It aims to augment the qualifications of women and girls as a pipeline towards heightening their presence in the virtual and in-person IT job market in the country. “The first step towards increasing women’s and girls’ access to technology and digital spaces,” Merjen explained in a recent post, “is to promote digital education and actively support and encourage girls’ participation in related subjects.” Sanly Bilim Educational Center first began working with USAID projects in November of 2022, and in December partnered with the USAID Youth Development Project to host their six-month TechYouth Bootcamp, which provides tech training for youths aged 18 to 25 in the areas of web and mobile application development, user interface and experience (UI/UX), graphic design, and IT and system administration. In that same month, Merjen won the Alumni of the Year in Women’s Empowerment Award during the U.S. Embassy in Ashgabat’s first ever New Year’s Alumni Gala.

Report Date...: 3/27/2023

Fellow delivers keynote at innovation center launch

Fellow(s): Fellow Sebay Bintu Koroma, née Momoh (Sierra Leone, 2018)

Country: Sierra Leone

Cohort: 2018

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

Fellow delivers keynote at innovation center launch

Fellow Sebay Bintu Koroma, née Momoh (Sierra Leone, 2018) recently delivered the keynote address for the official launch of Kamara Yokie Innovation Center (KYIC), the first youth-owned and youth-led innovation center of its kind in Sierra Leone. The center aims to leverage modern entrepreneurial leadership and STEM education principles to unlock the potential of youths, with support and resources including free computers and robotics tools. “In an age shaped by technological advances,” Sebay recapped in a recent post, “it is imperative that young people have the know-how to create and operate technology and science-based solutions, as it is critical to their advancement…and will strengthen their agency in terms of decision-making over their health, financial and career choices.” Sebay is a petroleum engineer for Petroleum Directorate Sierra Leone.

Report Date...: 3/27/2023

Mentor named among 50 Women of Impact honorees

Fellow(s): Mentor Ishita Majumdar

Country:

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

Mentor named among 50 Women of Impact honorees

Mentor Ishita Majumdar was recently honored as one of the 50 “Women of Impact” awardees by Women Impact Tech, a woman-owned community that aims to advance gender equity in tech by promoting diverse, inclusive and equitable hiring and knowledge sharing practices. Honorees were selected for their significant efforts towards promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in a field that has been traditionally dominated by men. “This recognition is very special to me, as it amplifies my passion to ‘pay it forward’ as an ally, mentor, counsel and sponsor for women and men in their professional journeys,” Ishita wrote in a recent post. Ishita is Vice President of Data Analytics Platforms at eBay, where she has worked since 2014.

Report Date...: 3/27/2023

Fellow shares inspirational journey on BBC Sounds Podcast

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

Country: South Africa

Cohort: 2015

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

Fellow shares inspirational journey on BBC Sounds Podcast

Fellow Baratang Miya (South Africa, 2015) was recently featured as a guest on BBC Sounds Podcast “Women leading the tech revolution in Africa” episode, where she discussed her journey into tech, the power of teaching women and girls how to code and the sociocultural, infrastructural and policy changes needed to make that possible. “Walking into a board room with men [who] judge you and tone you down,” she confided,” really made me cry at some points… [and] I feel like it’s what keeps women behind. I used to be very emotional about that. I’m not anymore.” When asked how she overcame this struggle, Baratang explained that “the mindset and the policy issues are not going to change unless I become the most powerful and strong woman [and] can withstand the rocks that come my way. …And once I started taking it as it comes and telling myself, I’m going to sit in the boardroom and say, ‘we have to talk about women and girls,’ then I started hearing my voice getting stronger and seeing the change. It became a passion for me. Change is what I do.” Baratang is the founder of Girlhype Coders Academy, which has taught more than 1,000,000 women and girls how to code. She is also the founder of Women Tech Policy Hub (WTPH), which trains leading women in STEM in policy entrepreneurship through fellowship and executive education. Founded in 2022, the fellows of the WTPH include a vast number of women from the TechWomen community, including at least fourteen fellows from Cameroon, Kenya, Libya, Nigeria, Tunisia and Uzbekistan. Baratang was also named among the 50 People Who Made the Internet a Better Place in 2016 and regularly serves as a technology writer, judge, speaker and advisor in tech competitions and hackathons.

Report Date...: 3/20/2023

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