Fatima Zohra Benhamida and Salma Bekkouche

This week, fellows of Algeria Fatima Zohra Benhamida (2017) and Salma Bekkouche (2018) were featured presenters at TEDxPolytechOran, a virtual TEDx event that invited community leaders to share their expertise with the Algerian community.
Fatima, an assistant professor of computer science and board member of the TechWomen/TechGirls Club Algeria, delivered a talk on public speaking. She began by sharing her own story, speaking about the fear and anxiety that often accompanies presenting in front of large groups. She then gave the audience five steps to successful public speaking, beginning with detecting the “symptoms” – assessing body language, voice, shyness and other potential barriers. She encouraged the audience to work through a fear of public speaking by mastering their subject, talking to strangers and dedicating themselves to continuous improvement.
Salma, an IT engineer and blogger who runs Salma Share, presented on her journey as a successful blogger. “I love writing, but I had a big fear to expose my ideas to the public. I felt the fear of being criticized by others,” she said. Despite her fears, Salma has developed her blog and has grown her audience through sharing career tips, posting about academic and exchange opportunities and interviewing inspiring people in technology.​