Seventy-eight women from around the Middle East and Africa arrived in California’s Silicon Valley recently, where they will spend the next month working side-by-side with their American counterparts in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.
As participants in the U.S. Department of State’s TechWomen exchange program, the emerging women leaders will participate in mentorships with American women counterparts at leading U.S. technology companies focusing on hardware, Internet, science, software, telecommunications or green technology.
Each a professional in her home country, participants hail from Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.
The TechWomen program partners with leading technology companies to further these women’s knowledge and expertise in their chosen fields. After returning home, the TechWomen are invited to join other alumnae and several U.S. mentors to conduct workshops in two countries for women and girls interested in pursuing tech-based careers. The U.S. is committed to using the Techwoman program to build a network of mentors in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics throughout the Middle East and Africa.
The TechWomen program supports the United States’ global commitment to provide women with the access and opportunities needed to advance their careers and pursue their dreams.
