Impact Stories from Youth Engagement Policy Area
Fellow hosts seminar on business accounting with help of NGO
Fellow(s): Merjen Saparmyradova
Country: Turkmenistan
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Merjen Saparmyradova (Turkmenistan, 2019) recently collaborated with Public Accountants, an Ashgabat-based NGO, to lead a seminar on the importance of business accounting as part of her Launch Life Coding Bootcamp for women and girls. The seminar focused on building its participants’ foundational knowledge of economic, financial and legal matters critical for small-scale enterprises and entrepreneurs in Turkmenistan.
Launch Life Coding Bootcamp is designed to promote the economic rights and opportunities of its participants by developing their coding aptitude while also growing their resume, cover letter and interview skills. Merjen believes that “teamwork and collaboration can foster a healthy work culture and environment where teams of individuals can achieve goals through powerful skills and effective work.”
Report Date...: 7/11/2022
Fellow featured on “Meet the Leader” podcast for World Economic Forum
Fellow(s): Lindiwe Matlali
Country: South Africa
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Youth Engagement
Lindiwe Matlali, a 2017 fellow from South Africa, was recently featured on “Meet the Leader,” a World Economic Forum (WEF) podcast, following their 2022 annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Lindiwe is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Africa Teen Geeks, one of the largest computer science non-profit organizations in Africa, and a contributing author to WEF on topics including gender, race, equality and social innovation. In the featured episode, “Top Leaders Share What’s Needed After Davos,” Lindiwe focused her message on the responsibility of wealthy and powerful actors to protect the world’s most vulnerable populations. “If your responsibility is to look after others,” she stated, “take it seriously and try and do it right… before you start enriching yourself. Because it’s not about you. When you make poor decisions, it affects the vulnerable the most.”
Lindiwe was featured among other “Voices of Davos” from the WEF annual meeting, including Nela Richardson, Chief Economist of ADP Research Institute; Kristian Teleki, Director of Friends of Ocean Action; and Tolullah Oni, an urban epidemiologist at the University of Cambridge. The stated mission of the WEF 2022 annual meeting was to usher in a “new era of global responsibility and cooperation… against a backdrop of deepening global frictions and fractures.”
Read More »Report Date...: 6/20/2022
Lebanese fellow speaks on Dubai Business Associates panel
Fellow(s): Cynthia Massad
Country: Lebanon
Cohort: 2020-2021
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Cynthia Massad, a Lebanese fellow also from the 2020-2021 TechWomen cohort, was recently invited to speak on a Dubai Business Associates’ (DBA) panel for business leaders in human resources and strategy. Cynthia represented audit, taxation and consulting firm Deloitte, where she works as a senior consultant in cyber risk and strategy. She spoke on the panel alongside contemporaries from other global powerhouses, including KPMG, EY and Bain & Company. There, they addressed the practical advantages and disadvantages of building a career in their related industries. Cynthia shares that she was “glad to have participated in this fruitful session with fellow panelists to share our experiences to a group of ambitious young professionals [and] associates.”
The DBA is a component of Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s efforts to accelerate the careers of the entry-level workforce through “skill-building projects and immersive networking.”
Report Date...: 6/13/2022
Nigerian fellow wins funding for youth accelerator in Niger; collaborates with TechWomen mentor for technical tools
Fellow(s): Binta Moustapha
Country: Nigeria
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Nigerian alumna Binta Moustapha, 2014, has recently won a grant from the Bank of Africa Foundation in the amount of ten million West African francs (CFA) for use toward her youth training initiative, Cabinet Hub Zinder. Located in her spouse’s home country, the Republic of Niger, Cabinet Hub Zinder, also called the African Street Business School and Entrepreneurship Hub, was founded to accelerate digital and entrepreneurship skills training for young people aged 18-35 who are not currently involved in critical Education Employment or Training programs (NEETs).
When Binta first relocated to Niger in 2016, she faced adjustment issues when she struggled to communicate in the French lanuage. Binta shares that she was inspired by the biblical quote made popular by Hillary Clinton to “bloom where you are planted,” and began volunteering to teach English as a second language at her local American Corner, a regional resource center provided by the US State Department where people can gather, share and learn about American culture, history, current events and government. Her involvement at the American Corner eventually led Binta to the founding of Cabinet Hub Zinder.
In this program, the 120 youth participants, 60% of whom will be women, will receive stipend funds totalling 42,000 CFA each to compensate their time, transportation and data connection expenses. Participants with Cabinet Hub Zinder will also take part in a financial innovation challenge for fintech solutions internship opportunities in mobile device repairs, graphic design and more. Utilizing her TechWomen network, Binta has also partnered with San Francisco mentor Kathy Giori, who will provide MicroBlocks hardware to support program participants. Cabinet Hub Zinder will be hosted at the American Corner in Zinder, Niger.
Report Date...: 6/13/2022
Google Hustle Academy taps fellow as guest speaker
Fellow(s): Faten Khalfallah Hammouda
Country: Tunisia
Cohort: 2015
Policy Area(s): Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
2015 fellow Faten Khalfallah, founder of First Skills Club, was selected as a guest speaker for the Thyna Business Library Event in Sfax, Tunisia and sponsored by AIESEC Thyna. Faten was one of four keynotes from across multiple industries who addressed and answered questions from young people ages 19-22 interested in pursuing careers in IT, finance, marketing, chemistry and engineering.
Faten’s talk, “Your Success Is Your Choice,” provided encouragement and shared her wisdom from years of experience as a robotics mentor, coach of the Tunisian national robotics team and leader at First Skills Club, a non-profit dedicated to providing Tunisian young people opportunities to learn and communicate in English via STEM education.
Report Date...: 5/31/2022
Fellow selected as World Bank Youth Summit 2022 Finalist
Fellow(s): Arielle Kitio
Country: Cameroon
Cohort: 2016
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Entrepreneurship, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
The World Bank selected 2016 fellow Arielle Kitio as a finalist for its 2022 Youth Summit Competition, representing her organization TechWoman Factory, part of the Cameroon Youth School Tech Incubator (CAYSTI). Arielle was one of six finalists selected from a competitive pool of 1,031 applications representing 107 countries. The 2022 summit theme was “Unlocking the Power of Inclusion for Equitable Growth,” and all finalists were selected for projects that effectively and impactfully spoke to elements of social, environmental and economic inclusion.
TechWoman Factory’s inaugural cohort consists of 179 Cameroonian youth (including 134 women), who receive professional training in one of three fields (data science, web development and digital art) for six months in Yaoundé, followed by a three-month professional mentorship with a partner organization. Additionally, all participants receive a core education in entrepreneurship, financial education, cybersecurity and soft skills such as negotiation, leadership, effective communication and creativity.
Report Date...: 5/31/2022
Fellow featured as keynote at Pakistan Girls in ICT Summit 2022
Fellow(s): Ameni Channoufi
Country: Tunisia
Cohort: 2014
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
A keynote address delivered by 2014 fellow from Tunisia Ameni Channoufi kicked off the Girls in ICT Summit 2022, organized by Ananke, CodeGirls Pakistan and WomenInTechPK in observance of International Girls in ICT Day. The summit’s theme was “Breaking Barriers to Access,” and provided speakers, workshops, panel discussions and mentoring sessions for young women in high school and college who are working towards or interested in careers in technology.
In her keynote, “Global and Local Perspectives of Girls in ICT,“ Ameni spoke on the global nature of the digital gender divide and experience of women in tech and provided strategies for inspiring girls to enter STEM fields and supporting them along the way. “It’s important that girls know early that the door is open to them too, not only to boys,” Ameni said as she explained the importance of introducing STEM education at an early age, organizing events for girls in tech, providing mentorship and job shadowing and sharing success stories of women in tech.
Report Date...: 5/23/2022
Fellow wins twice at East Africa Com Awards
Fellow(s): Chao Mbogho
Country: Kenya
Cohort: 2017
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Dr. Chao Mbogho, 2017 fellow of Kenya, recently received the top individual honor awarded at the 2022 East Africa Com Awards, part of Africa Tech Festival. Chao was named Inspiring Leader of the Year for her accomplishments as “a Founder, Mentor, Innovator, Educator and one of the few Kenyan women with a PhD in Computer Science.” East Africa Com praised her achievements by saying “Her prowess in all these areas has made her one of the most inspiring role models of our generation.”
Chao is also founder and CEO of KamiLimu, which itself was also honored at East Africa Com with the 2022 Changing Lives Award. East Africa Com describes why KamiLimu was selected by saying: “Up to 80% of Kenyan tertiary-level students do not receive mentorship outside the classroom, which leads to insufficient expertise in 21st-century skills. KamiLimu, an award-winning non-profit organization, addresses this. Their mission is to bridge the skills gap between classroom learning and global competitiveness for tertiary-level tech students in Kenya.”
Report Date...: 5/16/2022
Mentor(s): Teresa Williams
Company: Office of Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky
Mentor Type: Professional
Policy Area(s): Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Youth Engagement
Mentor Dr. Teresa Williams was recently invited to speak on a panel at Google’s 2022 She’s So STEM virtual event, sharing her experience as a woman in STEM with San Francisco Bay Area high school students. She’s So STEM, now in its sixth year, hosts high school girls at the San Francisco Bay Area to Google’s headquarters in Mountain View to learn about the diverse opportunities in STEM careers. This year’s event featured a coding session, a game design workshop and an opportunity for students to use Google’s virtual reality system. Teresa, a scientific researcher, shared about her career path and the role models who guided and mentored her along the way. She also spoke about the challenges she has faced as a woman in her field, having often been mistaken for an intern or an executive assistant at work. “We need to redefine what a scientist looks like,” she said. The panelists also answered student questions, giving advice on impostor syndrome and encouraging them to avoid comparison: “I told them that we are all on our own individual paths,” Teresa said. “Rather than comparing ourselves to each other, we should really be celebrating each other.”
Report Date...: 5/9/2022
Fellow launches Girls in STEM Mentorship with alumnae support
Fellow(s): Ines Umuhoza, Emma Marie Ndoringoma, Solange Tuyisenge, Marie Claire Murekatete, Christa Uwamahoro, Nadine Uwizeyimana and Felicie Nyinawabali
Country: Rwanda
Cohort: 2014, 2015, 2018, 2022
Policy Area(s): Economic Impact, Education Diplomacy/Mentoring, Empowering Women and Girls, Professional Growth, Youth Engagement
Fellow launches Girls in STEM Mentorship with alumnae support
Before the start of TechWomen 2022, fellow Ines Umuhoza set a goal to leverage her TechWomen mentorship to inspire and mentor young girls in Rwanda. During the program, Ines collaborated with her mentor, Tawish Naqvi of Microsoft, to build out Girls in STEM Mentorship, a project she created of before TechWomen. Shortly after she returned from the U.S., Ines held her first session for 120 girls from Maranyundo Girls School, hosting them for an introductory session about mentorship and how they can benefit from the six‐month Girls in STEM Mentorship project. Ines is the director of programs for Girls in ICT Rwanda/Rwanda Women in Tech, an initiative whose mission is to inspire women and girls to pursue STEM careers. Rwandan fellows Emma Marie Ndoringoma (2013), Solange Tuyisenge (2015), Marie Claire Murekatete (2014),Christa Uwamahoro(2018), Nadine Uwizeyimana (2022) and Felicie Nyinawabali (2022) have joined the mentorship program, serving as advisors and co‐organizers; the program will also receive support from Girls in ICT Rwanda. Solange and Ines are collaborating to create career fair sessions, invite guest speakers and deliver training on soft skills and career guidance. At the Maranyundo Girls School introductory session, the girls were encouraged to ask questions about STEM careers and learn about their choices within STEM fields. “We designed this program to create awareness of different STEM careers by conducting STEM Career Fair days with different women in STEM professions to inspire the girls,” said Ines. “Not only are we inspiring more girls to be part of the women in STEM movement, but we are also going to be providing career guidance, self‐confidence and other soft skills needed to succeed in their future.”
Report Date...: 5/9/2022
