Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area

STEM4ALL interviews Fellow

Fellow(s): Dinara Moldosheva (2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

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

STEM4ALL Interviews Fellow

Fellow Dinara Moldosheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022) was recently interviewed by STEM4ALL for her contributions as founder of Innovation Lab. STEM4ALL is a joint platform launched by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with the aim of promoting gender equality and increasing the representation of women and girls in STEM fields in Europe and Central Asia. Innovation Lab is an ecosystem involved in intellectual property, innovation infrastructures, startups, STEAM and gender development. In the interview, Dinara acknowledges that “the whole world is trending towards globalization, digitalization, exact sciences, engineering [and] mathematics.” She highlights that although hers is a landlocked and developing nation, they are rich with human resources. “Our potential is our people. This is an innovation. This is a creative solution. This is a creative economy. This is STEM,” she explains. “Because we have had STEM, one might say, in our families since ancient times.”

Report Date...: 2/13/2023

Fellow hosts NASA spacecraft operations engineer

Fellow(s): Faten Khalfallah (2015)

Country: Tunisia

Cohort: 2015

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow Hosts NASA Spacecraft Operations Engineer

Fellow Faten Khalfallah’s (Tunisia, 2015) First Skills Club, in partnership with the Tunisian Space Association and the U.S. embassy in Tunisia, recently hosted NASA spacecraft operations engineer Nagin Cox for their Space Day with NASA event. The guest speaker spoke on her professional experiences at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Sunnyvale, CA and gave an inspirational presentation entitled, “Dare Mighty Things: Mars Rovers Paving the Way.” Faten co-founded the First Skills Club with her husband, Rabah Hammouda, to provide educational programming for kids to develop their English communication skills through STEM education.

Report Date...: 2/13/2023

Fellow startup launches WellShift biofeedback app

Fellow(s): Abeer Albashiti (2022)

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow Startup Launches WellShift Biofeedback App

Larimar technology, a wellness, performance and productivity startup funded by fellow Abeer Albashiti (Jordan, 2022) recently announced the launch of its first technological tool, the WellShift app, available in Arabic and English. Larimar offers self-regulation tools designed to monitor and transform emotions, wellness, performance and resilience for both individuals and enterprises. The technology can be used in a standalone capacity or be integrated with existing smart wearables. Abeer credits her participation in TechWomen as a major contribution to Larimar’s social capital growth. “While in California,” she explains, “I visited HeartMath, the research center on which 60% of Larimar’s scientific research depends. [There, we] discussed the psychological backbone of my innovation and initiated a partnership.” Abeer is a wellbeing advocate and emotion AI builder who founded Larimar to help people utilize emotions and life experiences “as enabling data for actionable insights like boosting wellbeing, improving customer experience, gaming and security threat detection.”

Report Date...: 2/6/2023

Pamir-sponsored hydropower project hits milestone

Fellow(s): Asligul is a Senior Environmental and Social Officer at Pamir and has been cited in several publications on the hydropower project.

Country: Tajikistan

Cohort: 2017

Policy Area(s): Environmental Sustainability, Professional Development

Pamir-sponsored Hydropower Project Hits Milestone

The Sebzor hydropower project sponsored by Pamir Energy company (PE), where fellow Asligul Mavluda Mamadatoeva (Tajikistan, 2017) serves as Senior Environmental and Social Officer, is tracking to be the first project of its kind in Central Asia to be certified by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard. The Hydropower Sustainability Standard is an independent and internationally recognized certification system developed by industry, environmental and social NGOs, multilateral banks and civil society organizations. It assesses a hydropower project’s sustainability using 12 related topics, including biodiversity, indigenous peoples, water quality and climate change mitigation. It provides a framework to incentivize sustainable hydropower projects and improve less sustainable developments. Asligul played an instrumental role in supporting PE to achieve this award. As an Environmental and Social expert, Asligul was directly responsible for 10 out of 12 topics assessed by the International Hydropower Association. She has also measured and ensured gender equality metrics in the Sebzor project, thus paving the way for other senior women energy professionals. Per a recent press release, almost 90% of Tajikistan’s electricity is generated by hydropower and its National Development Strategy has prioritized achieving energy independence by 2030 as a key policy objective.

Report Date...: 2/6/2023

Fellow(s): Pamela Azanfouet (2022)

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2022

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

Pamela founded NGO Nkwangtech Foundation to facilitate mentorship in STEM and encourage the pursuit of STEM careers and entrepreneurial applications.

Fellow Pamela Azanfouet (Cameroon, 2022) recently expressed gratitude to TechWomen partner organization Juniper Networks for having donated 20 computers to Nkwangtech Foundation, an NGO that she established in 2021 to connect students and job seekers with mentors, while inspiring them to pursue careers and creative entrepreneurial opportunities in STEM. Pamela has explained that the youths in the city of Bafoussam, capital of the West Region of Cameroon, face many roadblocks accessing employment and education, which can inhibit their ability to fully realize their potential and contribute to their community. Through Nkwangtech Foundation, they gain beneficial exposure to new skills, professional networks and opportunities to quickly advance their careers and professional goals. “By this donation,” Pamela shares, “Juniper networks gave us the strength to believe and to continue working hard to help the youths of the western region be part of the digital transformation effect and become opportunity creators.” Pamela credits the advocacy of Professional Mentor Rebecca Biswas with driving the donation from Juniper Networks. She also expresses gratitude to the TechWomen program, which “changed my life [and] perception of myself and gave me an opportunity to learn how to communicate and interact with others.”

Report Date...: 1/30/2023

Fellow(s): Darika Aldasheva (2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 mini MBA success stories

Fellow Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022) was recently interviewed in a magazine feature by the Kyrgyz Republic Japan Center for Human Development (KRJC) of 33 success stories of mini MBA graduates from their program. Darika is both the CEO of Jeti Media, a social media marketing agency, and the Managing Director of Noosphere, a public relations agency. Speaking on her leadership style, she says “I don’t educate, but I talk with the team and I get feedback. This is necessary,” she emphasizes, “to keep employees who want to develop, establish collaboration between specialists and take responsibility.” She also shares that trying to choose between business and personal life “is a false dichotomy. You cannot devote yourself to one thing,” she explains. “Those who devote themselves [solely] to family begin to hate the family and the same goes for work. Work-life balance is necessary and it is quite possible.” The KRJC was established 20 years ago to support Asian countries with transition market economies and to promote cultural exchange with Japan.

Report Date...: 1/30/2022

Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 mini MBA success stories

Fellow(s): Abir Khaldi (2022)

Country: Tunisia

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow featured in KRJC’s 33 Mini MBA Success Stories

Fellow Abir Khaldi (Tunisia, 2022) recently led a workshop entitled “Deep Learning: Hands-on Artificial Neural Networks” for the first edition of Africa AI Week, organized by the African Networking and Innovation Platform (ITAUN). The event offered conferences and training sessions for all students, teachers, researchers and professionals from the African continent this past December. Abir lent her expertise as a university professor at the Higher Institute of Technological studies in Nabeul, Tunisia (ISET Nabeul) and the co-founder of Coworky, the first entrepreneurial hub and coworking space in the Cap-Bon region of her country. She has a Ph.D. in Computer Science and is currently researching cloud security, Big Data, Dev Ops, networks, graph partitioning and Artificial Intelligence at the Riadi Laboratory in ISET Nabeul.

Report Date...: 1/30/2023

sustainable cities

Fellow(s): Maysoun Ibrahim (2011)

Country: Palestinian Territories

Cohort: 2011

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

Fellow promotes book on developing smart, sustainable cities

Fellow Maysoun Ibrahim (Palestinian Territories, 2011) recently announced that her book “Smart Sustainable Cities: Transformation towards Future Cities” is available on Amazon in electronic and paperback formats. In the book, Maysoun provides a practical roadmap and detailed framework of factors to be considered while planning the transformation towards smart and sustainable cities. The concepts aim at helping an urban center achieve smartness and sustainability by improving the quality of life of its citizens, efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental and even cultural aspects. This involves creating livable and equitable communities with access to affordable housing, transportation, education and healthcare. The book focuses on a comprehensive model of city planning and management, taking into account the many interconnected factors that contribute to a city’s sustainability. Maysoun hopes the book will provide “a base for planners, researchers, analysts and the interested observer to consider cities in a coherent and holistic model.” This book is the first of its kind in the Arab region written by an Arab woman specialized in this area of research. Dr. Maysoun Ibrahim is the Founder and the President of the Palestinian Information Sciences and Technology Syndicate (PALIST), Chairperson of the Innovation Supporters Network and an expert in smart, sustainable cities and the 4th Industrial Revolution.

Maysoun authored “Smart Sustainable Cities” as part of her work in fostering the United Nations Agenda 2030 and its related Sustainable Development Goals.

Report Date...: 1/23/2023

Fellow brings early childhood app to her country

Fellow(s): Nadia Habsatou (2016)

Country: Cameroon

Cohort: 2016

Policy Area(s): Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Fellow Brings Early Childhood App to Her Country

In partnership with the Government of Cameroon, fellow Nadia Habsatou (Cameroon, 2016), CEO of the Kalkaba Development Initiative (KPI), helped launch the “Thrive By Five” program and mobile app in Cameroon. Last year, KPI partnered with the Minderoo Foundation, a philanthropic organization based in Australia, to create an app that focuses on early childhood development to assist parents and caregivers in helping young children reach their full potential. The development of the app’s scientific content was supported by the University of Sydney in Australia, the University of Yaoundé I and the University of Maroua. Nadia is also a project engineer for Cameroon Telecommunications (CAMTEL) and a Gallup Global Strengths Coach, a certification inspired by mentor Samantha Raniere’s Gallup StrengthsFinder workshop, which Nadia took part in during her TechWomen program experience.

Report Date...: 1/23/2023

Fellow named to BBC 100 Women 2022 list

Fellow(s): Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (2017)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2017

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

Fellow Named to BBC 100 Women 2022 List

Fellow Ainura Sagyn Tursunalieva (Kyrgyzstan, 2017) has recently been named one of the BBC 100 Women 2022 in their 10th annual compilation of 100 inspiring and influential women from around the world. Ainura is an ecofeminist, computer engineer, and CEO of start-up Tazar, an app that connects producers of waste —from the individual level to the corporate level—with recyclers, in an effort to promote sustainability and reduce the amount of refuse that ends up in landfills in Central Asian countries. Sagyn has also led coding and STEM workshops for over 2,000 schoolgirls in Kyrgyzstan. The BBC’s 2022 list includes a diverse group of women from around the world, including those involved in conflict and resistance in various countries, as well as notable figures in music, acting, sports, and literature.

Report Date...: 1/23/2023

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