Impact Stories from Professional Development Policy Area

Fellow earns prestigious Erasmus+ mobility award

Fellow(s): Nermin Salah (Egypt, 2013)

Country: Egypt

Cohort: 2013

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

Fellow Nermin Salah (Egypt, 2013) has recently been awarded an Erasmus+ student and staff higher education mobility grant. The grant, designed to support university educators in fostering employability, social inclusion, civic engagement, innovation and environmental sustainability in Europe and beyond, will be utilized at the computational chemistry department of the German University in Cairo, where Nermin works as an associate professor. “This collaboration will open up new avenues for groundbreaking research and innovation in the field,” Nermin wrote in a recent post. “Together, we can push the boundaries of computational chemistry and drive advancements in higher education.”

Report Date...: 07/31/2023

Fellows collaborate for Product Management workshops

Fellow(s): Azhar Mambetova (2019), Elena Chigibaeva(2018), Darika Aldasheva (2022)

Country: Kyrgyzstan

Cohort: 2018, 2019, 2020-2021

Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Professional Development

Fellow Azhar Mambetova (Kyrgyzstan, 2019) recently hosted a webinar series for the Kyrgyzstan product managers community, teaming up with fellows Elena Chigibaeva (Kyrgyzstan, 2018) and Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022), who served as guest facilitators. The webinar series was delivered in four sessions, covering diverse topics targeted toward professionals in the field. Elena and Azhar moderated Product Management in the Metaverse, an interactive discussion of product market fit with an immersive exploration of the metaverse. Darika taught a module, Personal Brand Development, which focused on brand awareness, personal clarity, and taking the first step. Azhar is a digital financial services consultant and freelance product management mentor and course developer.

Report Date...: 07/31/2023

Fellow and founder of volunteer platform hosts two-day training for social leaders of transformative initiatives

Fellow(s): Hiba Awaysa (Palestinian Territories, 2020-2021)

Country: Palestinian Territories

Cohort: 2020-2021

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

Sawaed19, a volunteer networking platform led and founded by fellow Hiba Awaysa (Palestinian Territories, 2020-2021), recently held a training for 25 social leaders who kickstarted 14 transformative initiatives formed under the Giving for Change program. The two-day intensive training included workshops entitled Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Initiatives Identity and Advocacy Campaigns, and Fostering Community-Building Strategy, which was facilitated by Hiba herself. “At Sawaed19, we are committed to empowering volunteers and community leaders with the essential tools, knowledge, and skills to supercharge their initiatives,” Hiba shared in a recent post. Hiba established Sawaed19 in 2019 as a platform to match volunteers to non-profits around the world. The Giving for Change program is organized by Dalia Association, a community development foundation that works to mobilize and utilize Palestinian resources through community-controlled grant-making.

Report Date...: 07/24/2023

Fellow hosts week-long digital youth training camp

Fellow(s): Mahri Gylyjova (Turkmenistan, 2022)

Country: Turkmenistan

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Development, Youth Engagement

Mahri hosted a week-long series of digital training classes for Turkmen youths with the support of the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan and USAID.

Fellow Mahri Gylyjova (Turkmenistan, 2022) recently hosted a week-long digital training session for youths in concert with the Union of Economists of Turkmenistan and USAID. Mahri utilized the opportunity to cover topics a range of practical and theoretical topics, including the top competitive digital skills in the labor market, the ethics of behavior on the internet, cyber security, advanced Excel skills, rising professions in tech and the ten most common problems with computers and accessories. “It was a busy week full of new acquaintances with talented, energetic young people of Ashagabt,” Mahri expressed in a recent post. Mahri is a freelance trainer of digital skills focused on scratch programming and computer literacy.

Report Date...: 07/24/2023

Fellow shares journey to data on Careers&Things podcast

Fellow(s): Nikita Vala (South Africa, 2022)

Country: South Africa

Cohort: 2022

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

In Nikita’s debut podcast appearance, she discussed her experiences in tech, transitioning from Engineering to Data on Careers&Things: The Podcast.

Fellow Nikita Vala (South Africa, 2022) was recently interviewed by Careers&Things: The Podcast for an episode entitled, “Understanding the Power of Data with Nikita Vala.” During her 45-minute debut podcast appearance, Nikita spoke on her journey from Engineering to Data, covering topics such as the importance of data, how to infuse data into a non-tech role, and skills needed to support a transition into data. “I think as an Engineer, you learn interesting ways to think about and solve problems…and actually that’s very transferrable to many industries,” Nikita shared during the interview. “At my first job [at Accenture], I really enjoyed the tech world… and I realized that my skillset would be great for the tech industry.” Nikita is now an Analytics Lead at Kandua, a tech start-up that provides a platform for people to channel their skills into income.

Report Date...: 07/24/2023

Fellow co-facilitates 10-day African Girls Can Code Initiative sponsored by UN Women and African Union Commission

Fellow(s): Emma Mphahlele (South Africa), Sara Fakhry (Egypt), Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan) 2022

Country: Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, South Africa

Cohort: 2022

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

Fellow Emma Mphahlele (South Africa, 2022), founder of non-profit African Youth Ignited 4IR, recently served as co-facilitator of the 10-day African Girls Can Code Initiative sponsored by UN Women and the African Union Commission. The program, designed to teach design thinking, problem-solving and soft skills, selected 40 girls from eight public schools in the inland provinces to take part in the 10-day curriculum. Topics included user interface/user experience (UI/UX), website development, mobile applications development, robotics, cyber security and programming. Emma enlisted several members of the TechWomen community to serve as guest lecturer, including mentors Lori Kahn, Jennifer Martin and Erin Keeley, and fellows Sara Fakhry (Egypt, 2022) and Darika Aldasheva (Kyrgyzstan, 2022). “Spending 10 days with the girls has added to my growth as a facilitator and an expert in STEM Education,” Emma shared in a recent post. “It reaffirmed my decision to leave corporate and to focus on the promotion of inclusivity in access to quality education for children and young people in my continent.”

Report Date...: 07/17/2023

Zurich

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

Country: Jordan

Cohort: 2019

Policy Area(s): Professional Development

Reema was interviewed on the Google Stage in Zurich, Switzerland during one of her recent speaking engagements as a global AI expert.

Fellow Reema Diab (Jordan, 2019) recently spoke at two high-profile engagements as an artificial intelligence expert. She was first interviewed on Google’s late-night show, “Tomorrow Tonight,” in Zurich, Switzerland and then served as a keynote speaker for Levitate, a drone industry conference held in Amman, Jordan. “It reinforced the importance of adopting a balanced approach that acknowledges both the immense potential benefits and the inherent risks associated with AI,” Reema wrote in a recent post on her experience on “Tomorrow Tonight.” Reema is the CEO and founder of Galaxy Organization for Technology and a senior AI consultant for Tesla Motors and the World Bank. She was named an AI Global Ambassador 2023 by SwissCognitive this past winter.

Report Date...: 07/17/2023

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

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