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Nayla al-Khaja
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Content created by Virtual Intern Adelle Barkhuizen
Nayla al-Khaja, who participated in the 2010 International Leadership Program (IVLP), "Film in the U.S.," is one of the UAE’s leading film directors and producers. While on her IVLP, al-Khaja explored the filmmaking industry in the United States and met with key studio representatives. She gained an understanding of U.S. views of censorship, tax rebates, and worldwide film distribution. She was surprised by the absence of UAE-produced feature films in the various international film festivals and she returned to the UAE determined to change that lack of representation. She successfully advocated for government-sponsored art grants in the UAE. Now, as an established filmmaker, she is CEO of Nayla Al Khaja Films and chairs the Scene Club, the UAE's first formally recognized film club.
When asked about her program experience, al-Khaja said, "my IVLP was fantastic and the most beautiful memory was visiting a family in Austin, Texas." She turned that experience into a film called The Neighbor, that has won two international awards.
By tackling controversial humanitarian and social issues in her films, Nayla al-Khaja is not only a talented producer, she also successfully promotes women’s empowerment in the Middle East.
Content edited by Sallie Bestul, Regina Navarro-Gomez, and Jenna Williams
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al-KhajaIVLP Alumni
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Virtual Fitness Session with Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) Alumna, Tracy Sena Yeboah!
“We are very grateful to the AWE program for giving us a platform to improve our business strategy and becoming a successful brand” – Tracy Sena Yeboah, AWE Alum Ghana 2019
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José Aguilar Berrocal
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Content created by Virtual Intern Radha Varadan
“Solidarity cures us,” says José Aguilar Berrocal, a former International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) participant from Costa Rica and Founder and President of the Board of the Youth Action Foundation. His tireless work tackling the educational and emotional issues that at-risk youth in Costa Rica face stems from his own challenges growing up. The support of mentors put him on the path to success and instilled in him the desire to serve others.
Aguilar founded the Youth Action Foundation in 2006, an organization that works hand-in-hand with the Costa Rican Ministry of Education to connect at-risk students with mentors and tutors while requiring the students to volunteer in their communities. Through its programs, the Foundation has engaged more than 22,400 students and teachers in community service. “The most wonderful feeling that a person can experience is to bring hope,” Aguilar says. He credits the IVLP with showing him the significance of civic engagement and community service in others, and the benefits it brings.
Aguilar previously led Public Horizons, a collective that tackles the human development gap by building partnerships. He also founded Strategic Human Development (Desarrollo Humano Estratégico), which aims to provide food to unemployed families in rural Costa Rica in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Through his work to mitigate the challenges faced by vulnerable populations in Costa Rica, José Aguilar Berrocal brings hope and support to those in need.
Edited by Virtual Interns Regina Navarro-Gomez and Kristin Mitra
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Aguilar BerrocalIVLP Alumni
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The Academy for Women Entrepreneurs Helps Business Owner Grow Her Company in Kenya
Pauline Otila Kamwara, Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) graduate from 2019, is the managing director of Apiculture Venture in Kenya. Her social enterprise employs women and young people committed to sustainable beekeeping. They sell honey to farmers, cosmetic shops, hotels, and more. Pauline started her business when she saw that women weren’t represented in beekeeping in Kenya.
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Assistant Secretary Satterfield Delivers Remarks at a Cultural Event in Washington, D.C.
Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) Lee Satterfield will deliver remarks at the Women in Music: An Acoustic Experience with Colombian Artist Diana Burco event on March 21 in Washington, D.C.
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Crowd-sourcing Diplomacy
Middle school children may seem like unlikely ambassadors, and even less likely global health advocates. However, an international, collaborative interagency initiative, called the Zika Education and Prevention Project, is empowering school children around the world to combat disease outbreaks.
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Slow and Steady Wins the Race
Turtle Petals is revolutionizing sustainable plastics in Portugal.
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Shaking Up the Sustainability Game: Two AWE Alumni are Helping People Switch to Environmentally Friendly Products.
(AWE) alumni Namrata Budhraja and Sukriti Verma are shaking up the sustainability game and helping people transition to eco-friendly products through their company Shift Eco.
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AWE Alumni in Vietnam is Transforming Banana Trees into Textiles
An AWE Alumna entrepreneur in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital city, uses her country's famous banana trees as sustainable material for textile production.
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The UPS Foundation Opens Global Markets to AWE Alumni
Implemented in nearly 100 countries since 2019, the Department of State’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) has empowered an estimated 25,000 women entrepreneurs around the world with the education and financial skills they need to reach their full economic potential.