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A collage of experiences in Jordan as told by TechWomen.

Against the backdrop of Petra, a wonder of the ancient world, forty-five women from eight countries said their goodbyes last week. The TechWomen delegation concluded with stronger bonds and increased cultural understanding between mentors and emerging leaders.

“Exciting,” and “inspired,” were some of the words used by participants to describe the events and opportunities for connectivity during the journey. The delegation participated in a networking conference at Princess Sumaya University for Technology, where Her Royal Highness Princess Sumaya delivered welcoming remarks. The participants also met with N2V, one of the largest internet holding groups in Arabia focused on value creation through building and investing in Arabic consumer web and mobile ventures; INJAZ, an independent non-profit that was founded under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah with the mission to inspire and prepare young Jordanians to become productive members in their society and succeed globally; Amman Tech Tuesday, a monthly event that brings industry experts, local technologists, entrepreneurs and idea generators together in a casual setting to meet and learn from one another; and Oasis 500, a leading early stage and seed investment company, the first of its kind in Jordan and the MENA region.

Only 10 days left to apply to the 2013 TechWomen program!

The application deadline for the 2013 TechWomen program is quickly approaching!

With the deadline only 10 days away, here are a few tips to ensure that your application is complete:

1. The deadline to submit your application is 23:59 Cairo time, February 22, 2013.

All application materials, including letters of recommendation, must be submitted by this deadline.

2. A complete application consists of:

• A submitted online application;
• CV/Resume; and
• Two letters of recommendation (a third letter is optional).

What Career Advice Would You Give to Your Younger Self?

Recently, women and girls across the globe have been asking us for advice on launching successful careers in STEM and advancing their young professional careers to the next level.

Although we generally loathe dwelling on the woulda, coulda, shoulda moments in life, we can’t deny that sometimes, hindsight can be a very insightful form of wisdom. What better way to prepare for the future than learning from the experience of others?

In an effort to tap into the secrets of remarkable women with successful careers in STEM, we reached out to the TechWomen community of past emerging leaders, mentors, female tech enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, investors and role models through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and asked, “What career advice would you give to your younger self?”

Working Forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (WICTAD)

Guest blog by Heather Ramsey

Last week I joined more than 75 thought leaders from 20 countries working in civil society, academia, government, the private sector, and the UN who convened at IIE in Washington, DC, for the first international Working Forum on Women, Information and Communication Technologies and Development (WICTAD), co-hosted by the Department of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues and UN Women. During the two-day forum, we explored opportunities for increased collaboration to expand women’s and girls’ access to and opportunities in information and communication technologies (ICTs). Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues, Melanne Verveer, gave opening remarks at the event, stating that, “Technology is one of the highest potential ways to address development challenges. It is the great equalizer for women and we must improve access to ICT and close the Internet gender gap”.

Women in technology—Africa

Photo courtesy of IVLP program

Divine Ndhlukula, Juliana Rotich and Mariéme Jamme are a few inspirational African women at the forefront of technology and entrepreneurship. They are paving the way for other women in their countries. They are leaders in their communities who are helping initiate change and create greater prosperity. According to recent article in the New York Times, in 21^st-century Africa, businesswomen are pushing into the national scenes of their countries as movers and shakers of industry.