The Power of Mentorship: Building Connections to Fuel Change

Larissa (right) is a Project Manager at Internet Systems Consortium. In 2011, Larissa served as a Mentor to 2011 TechWomen Mentee, Sanae (left) from Morocco.

When Larissa Shapiro first heard about the TechWomen program, the Arab Spring had already begun to rock the MENA region. A firm believer in the power of technology to change the world and peoples’ lives in positive ways, and inspired by the dynamic role of courageous women in these uprisings, Larissa saw TechWomen as a unique opportunity to contribute to the movement. “I feel such a strong draw toward using technology as a tool for promotion of democratic and open societies,” she explains, adding, “I think that’s what TechWomen is all about.”

Seeking Mentors for Entrepreneurs and Women in Tech from the Middle East and North Africa: Women 2.0

Thanks to Women 2.0 for spreading the word about the TechWomen Mentor Application!

TechWomen is seeking San Francisco Bay Area Mentors for women from the Middle East and North Africa. To learn more, read this great blog post that originally appeared on the Women 2.0 blog. Women 2.0 is an emerging global media company for aspiring and current female entrepreneurs to launch successful scalable, innovative ventures.The mission of Women 2.0 is to increase the number of female founders of technology startups. 

Meeting Dr. Naif Al-Mutawa at WISE Summit

Guest post by Trish Tierney

 

Naif Al-Mutawa: The continuing saga of The99, superheroes inspired by Islam from TED Blog on Vimeo.

The second day of WISE focused on Achieving Effective Reforms, and I attended a fantastic session entitled Learning from Game Changers. One of the speakers, in particular, was exciting not just due to his incredible experience and the impact he is having on his community and beyond, but also because of the potential link with TechWomen.

An Enriching Experience in Marrakech

Guest Post by Lexi Curtice

Photo Credit: Denise Gammal

So far, the TechWomen delegation trip to Morocco is every bit as enriching and physically draining as the 5-week TechWomen program; that said, enriching is quite an understatement. For me, travel is synonymous with growth. Working at IIE (Institute of International Education) has been an invaluable learning experience. I am extremely fortunate to have had the chance to get to know 37 unique, intelligent, and generous TechWomen Mentees from the Middle East and North Africa over the period of their 5 week mentorship and to have traveled to Washington, DC with the group in July. I have learned more professionally and personally in the last 9 months than I ever thought possible. That being said, it has been an absolute honor to meet the Moroccan and Algerian Mentees in Morocco this week.