Feb. 28, Casablanca – U.S. Ambassador Puneet Talwar today joined a delegation of 17 representatives from top Silicon Valley companies to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the TechWomen program at a ceremony at the TechnoPark in Casablanca, alongside Moroccan alumnae of the prestigious program and prominent Moroccan women who work in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.
TechWomen, funded by the U.S. Department of State, connects the next generation of women leaders in STEM from Africa, Central and South Asia, and the Middle East with mentorship and exchange partners in the United States, providing them the access and opportunity to advance their careers and inspire women and girls in their communities.
More than 70 Moroccan women have participated in the program since it was founded in 2011, alongside more than 1,000 participants and alumnae (Fellows) from around the world. Over the past decade, the impact of TechWomen can be seen in countless initiatives founded and amplified by Fellows of the program, including: eSTEM Morocco, a seed granted TechWomen impact initiative, founded in 2014, that works to provide Moroccan girls and women with tools to pursue careers in STEM. To mark the anniversary, the U.S.-based Institute of International Education – which manages the program – brought the 17 U.S. tech company representatives to Morocco this week. Each delegation member has served as a mentor for the TechWomen program. They work for a range of top U.S. companies, including Twitter and Lucasfilm.
“The United States and Morocco are both committed to supporting women in the STEM fields,” Ambassador Talwar said. “Science and technology present a golden opportunity for women to contribute to economic growth, innovation, and prosperity in both Morocco and the United States, and throughout the world.”
Ambassador Talwar also congratulated last year’s five-member contingent of Moroccan participants in TechWomen. The group won a pitch competition in the United States for a project to design a solar-powered warning system to prevent wildfires among Morocco’s argan trees.
Today’s event was part of Mission Morocco’s recently launched #She_Is_A_Scientist campaign, which is celebrating the achievements of talented Moroccan women and girls in STEM who have participated in U.S. exchange programs. TechWomen is just one of these programs, which include TechGirls, Women in Science (WiSci), and the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), among others.
Over the last decade, more than 1,800 Moroccan women aged 15 to 35 have participated in these highly competitive programs, allowing the women to create ties with U.S. counterparts while honing their leadership skills, strengthening their networks, and supporting the next generation of Moroccan and American women and girl leaders who pursue careers in STEM fields.
During today’s event, Ambassador Talwar encouraged Moroccans interested in technology to participate in the #She_Is_A_Scientist campaign’s main component: Girlz for Impact Days, which consists of two weeks of STEM-focused initiatives taking place throughout Morocco from March 8 to 20.
These volunteer initiatives, open to all Moroccans – men and women – will constitute a tangible occasion to celebrate the success of Moroccan women in the fields of science and technology and encourage girls to pursue careers in STEM. Information on how to sign up can be found on the U.S. Embassy webpage, as well as Embassy social media platforms.
The visiting delegation includes five TechWomen alumnae from Cameroon, South Africa, Tunisia, Kyrgyzstan, and Lebanon. During their time in Morocco, the delegates will participate in outreach events that aim to encourage more girls to pursue STEM careers.
