United States (US) State Department-funded exchange programme TechWomen has announced applications are now open for its third programme, aimed at women with skills in tech and sciences from Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia.
TechWomen said its mission is to empower, connect and support the next generation of women leaders in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
The programme works by bringing together emerging female leaders in these fields from Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia with professional counterparts in the US for a mentorship and exchange program.
Over the course of five weeks, participants engage in project-based mentorships at leading companies in the San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, participate in professional development workshops and networking events, and travel to Washington DC for targeted meetings and special events.
So far, 156 women from Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Jordan, Kenya, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, the Palestinian Territories, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Yemen, and Zimbabwe have participated in TechWomen.
TechWomen said applicants, who will be reviewed by independent selection committees composed of industry leaders and regional experts, must be female with at least two years full-time professional experience in the STEM fields, be university educated, and be eligible for an exchange visitor visa to the US.
Preference will be given to applicants who “demonstrate themselves as emerging leaders in their chosen professional track through their work experience, volunteer experience, community activities, and education”, TechWomen said.
