Algeria

Selma Mouloudj has six years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Selma earned a Master’s degree in Biology specialized in Protection and Management of Marine Environment from the University of Science and Technology Houari Boumediene in Algeria. She also received a certification in Leadership and Conflict Management from George Mason University. Selma has experience in training engaged youth leaders who are committed to social change by increasing their sense of agency and supporting their civic engagement. Selma is the cofounder of Algerian Youth Voices (AYV), the First English Audio Broadcasting in Algeria that helped her gain valuable experience in digital storytelling, media relations, social media strategy, and corporate communications. Selma enjoys volunteering and is currently serving as the General Secretary for the State Department Alumni Steering Committee in Algeria, working to create an environment where Alumni can work together to bring a positive change. Selma is currently pursuing a career in Corporate & Investment Banking after serving as a Project Coordinator for a nonprofit in Chicago helping to eradicate violence by providing a safe space for youth to express themselves through arts and find support through mentorship. Previously, Selma also served as Project Coordinator for the U.S Treasury & the Algerian Finance Ministry and worked as a Communication Manager for a startup and designed the company’s communication strategy. She worked as an English Instructor for four years and helped hundreds of students develop their English language skills. Selma is passionate about science as well and she won the first prize for her scientific research in 2016 at the International Congress of Marine Biology in Morocco. Through these experiences, she developed strong leadership, communication, strategic planning, and conflict management skills. She believes that investing in youth and women is investing in a sustainable community.

Mahdi has seven years of experience in the nonprofit sector, as a full-time employee at INJAZ El Djazair (JA Algeria) and also as a Fellow/volunteer in numerous local and international organizations across the MENA region, Europe, and the United States. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from HEC Algiers, and has a first year Master’s degree at ENSM Algiers in Industrial Economics. In his present role at INJAZ El Djazair, Mahdi has contributed to the training of more than 20,000 Algerian youth in business and entrepreneurship. He is also in charge of program implementation, fundraising operations (up de 20 millions dinars per year), and the evaluation and monitoring of the results. He was also able to establish a partnership with the Algerian Ministry of Industry, valued at several million dinars. Additionally, Mahdi is known as an activist in macro-economic/politics topics related to the regional inclusion of the Maghreb countries. He launched an initiative called the Maghreb Souk Of Initiatives in November 2018 to gather influencers and diaspora of the Maghreb countries. On top of his professional experience, Mahdi is also an arts activist, working as a talent manager to help young artists/designers/musicians live their art and creation, through an initiative called The TalentArt. Mahdi is an art lover and he’s passionate about youth development in a global market.

Host Organization: LearnLaunch

Role at LearnLaunch At LearnLaunch, Mahdi will serve as the Program Manager Fellow: supporting the Accelerator staff in creation and delivery of the Bootcamps for international edtech entrepreneurs exploring entry points to US edtech market, and learning all aspects of operating training programs for entrepreneurs.

Rim is trilingual journalist and activist with six years of experience in journalism (international media outlets) and the nonprofit sector. She earned her Master’s degree in Institutional Journalism from The National School of Journalism and Information Science in Algiers. In 2014, she joined Hivos as an Internet Policy Analyst in the project “IGMENA” (Internet Governance in the Middle East and North Africa). In this role, she conducted research and wrote blog reports about digital rights, including online privacy and data protection. Additionally, she has participated as a speaker and coach in many international and local events. Rim is a part of Jeem, a project to shed light on women’s rights violations in the Arab world, as a Women’s Rights Advocate. She has written many stories and reports describing the situation of Algerian women. Rim has also volunteered as a Communication and Social Media Manager at Crossing Borders (CB), an international organization based in Denmark, where she gained experience in project management, website content management, social media strategy, and magazine editing. She produced CB Magazine (Voices of the Move): collecting and editing human-interest stories about migrants and refugees, and their challenges in integration in the new society. Rim’s goal is to direct the world’s attention onto unlisted and uncovered stories and events, especially unrepresented communities and minorities. She believes in the power of words as a change factor.

Host Organization: Global Press Journal

Role at Center for Global Press Journal Rim will serve as the Editorial Fellow: collaborating with researchers, editors and reporters to help readers better understand the communities Global Press Journal covers by incorporating research and data into the journalists’ stories.

Meriem is an open-minded, friendly and resourceful engineer in Computer Science who graduated from the Algerian National School of Computer Science in 2015. She has 3 years of solid experience and diverse capabilities in IT project management, Information System management and governance using agile and lean thinking, and Business Analysis. While working as an IT Project Management, she was heavily involved in redesigning the postal services’ Information System in Algeria by assisting experts in mapping business, app\nand technology processes using SIPOC, TOGAF & COBIT; requirements gathering and planning; elaborating IT strategical plans taking client’s needs into account; and supporting the client in his upstream thinking (writing specifications, change management) and downstream thinking (training).\nMeriem has a clear, logical mind with a practical approach to problem solving and a drive to see things through to completion. She is eager to learn, enjoy overcoming challenges, and have a genuine interest in Information Systems, enterprise architecture and evolving technologies. Meriem is also an active member in her neighborhood NGO and has always been engaged in working on how effectively we can educate people about their rights and obligations as democratic citizens, and how to develop citizens’ skills to work with one another\nto solve common problems, to debate public issues, and express their views. Within her NGO network, Meriem organize and participate in events related to youth education and women empowerment using her strong academic background and professional experience to ground her work. She is also part of various networks of women leaders from MENA regions that promote peace and discovering inner qualities to revolutionize and face nowadays hostile communities; to improve schools, the government, the environment and whatever her society needs to create and sustain an environment in which everyone can thrive.

Host Organization: boodleAI

Role at boodleAI: At boodleAI, Meriem will support the software development team by assisting in the identification of incoming features that are valuable to the business and their clients, gathering and analyzing high level requirements, tracking sprint progress and elevating risks to management, creating and maintaining project documentation, defining and executing test scenarios, and participating in all Agile ceremonies.

Houssam has three years of experience in the nonprofit sector. He graduated with honors in Finance and Actuarial Science from the High National School of Statistics and Applied Economics in Algeria and has attended training courses relating to leadership, teamwork, and business management in London, Moscow, Dubai, Zagreb, Cairo, and Tunis. Balancing his education and social work, he worked for three years as a volunteer with the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC). The experience allowed him to gain not only technical skills related to the nonprofit field such as fundraising, community project management, and financial management, but also valuable soft skills such as teamwork, public speaking, and negotiation. Houssam has five years of experience in management accounting, working as a planning and reporting manager for a multinational company, with his main role involving budgeting and managing the company’s reporting process. Houssam’s biggest achievement with AIESEC was to contribute to the launch of two projects: Hand in Hand, which aims to cheer sick children by bringing fun and enjoyment through activities in hospitals, and Summer Sunshine School, a project that brings teachers from abroad to teach disadvantaged children new languages for free. Through this experience, he has developed strong project-management skills. Houssam has a passion for the education of underprivileged children and helping sick children feel better and forget about their pain.

Host: YLabs

Fellow Role at YLabs:
Houssam will act as the program manager and work closely with the director of programs to support the planning and coordination of projects in Africa and Asia. This role as a member of a small team in a new organization offers an exciting opportunity to gain a variety of skills related to project and organizational management. These include: project planning, financial management, remote support to staff in the field, partner communications, social media communications, dissemination of our research, and coordination of field activities.

Aida Merabet has over ten years working experience with different nonprofits and corporations in the fields of business empowerment for women and youth educational programs in Algeria. She earned an MBA in Management Marketing from ESG Paris. Aida is the Founder of the social enterprise “Power Harmony Solution.” Previously, Aida worked as the Middle East Partnership (MEPI) Alumni Local Chapter Coordinator, where she strengthened commitment to civic activism, thus creating an environment where alumni can work together to bring positive change to the region. She helped empower young people to work for their economic success as an Education & Training Officer at Injaz El Djazair. As a Hub Manager for the Middle East and North Africa Business Women Network (MENABWN), she was responsible for leading and managing a program to support business women in Algeria. She has also served as an Algerian Country Officer Alwane-Algeria, with Women’s campaign International, an initiative that seeks to empower Algerian women to hold decision-making positions and to enhance their leadership roles so that they can become role models for the region. She also enjoys volunteering, whether it be as the Under Secretary General for Algeria’s national Model United Nations conference or as the Algeria Country Coordinator for the World Peace Initiative Foundation’s Project Peace In and Peace Out (PIPO).

Host Organization: Atlas Corps | American Express

Role at Host Organization: Aida will support the overall strengthening of leadership development in the nonprofit sector through a partnership with American Express. In her role, Aida will help to expand the American Express Leadership Academy franchise. Building on the American Express role in supporting best-in-class leadership practices and capacity building, she will coordinate and grow the alumni network; manage and coordinate the global Alumni Summit, help develop and improve communication and dissemination of best practices and provide overall project support for the Leaderstories.org website.