Esra’a Alsanie, Salma Gherraby

2019 fellow of Jordan Esra’a Alsanie and 2019 fellow of Morocco Salma Gherraby were featured speakers at the WeSTEM STEM Mental Health Summit, a virtual camp for girls ages 15-17 that focused on the intersection of STEM and mental health. The event, attended by 20 girls interested in pursuing STEM fields, was supported by Teenix and Legacy International and led by Nada Gomaa, a 2020 TechGirls alumna.
In their sessions, the fellows addressed the effects of stress, anxiety and depression on women and girls who pursue STEM fields. Esra’a, the founder of environmental startup EnvaTechs, spoke about facing societal stigma as a woman, the challenge of creating work-life balance and the stressors that arise when pursuing professional success as a woman. As a self-described introvert, Esra’a shared her journey of finding her own voice, reminding the girls to listen to their intuition and find the motivation to persevere despite societal challenges. Salma, the founder and CEO of Business Innovation, held a Q&A session that addressed questions on impostor syndrome, depression and pushing through life’s challenges. “I told them to just to stay strong, no matter what,” she said.​