Leila Ael

Innovative Algerian educator revolutionizing STEM education for girls

Leila Ael (born 1975) is an Algerian engineer and entrepreneur who founded the Les Filles du STIC initiative in 2010. This non-profit organization works to empower girls in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields through coding workshops, robotics competitions, and mentorship programs. Ael's work addresses the gender gap in North African tech sectors, having trained over 15,000 girls across Algeria and neighboring countries.

Before launching her social enterprise, Ael worked as a software engineer at multinational companies like IBM and Microsoft. Her 2018 TEDx talk 'Breaking the Glass Ceiling in North African Tech' highlighted systemic barriers faced by women in technical fields. Les Filles du STIC has partnered with UNESCO and the African Union to scale its programs, creating a pan-African network of 87 tech hubs. Ael's approach combines hands-on training with policy advocacy, leading to Algeria's 2020 mandate requiring 30% female participation in tech scholarships.

In 2022, Ael launched the Girls in AI program focusing on ethical artificial intelligence education. Her work has been recognized by the African Union's 'Women in Science' award and the MIT Solve Initiative. Ael's memoir Codebreaker: My Journey to Empower Africa's Tech Future (2023) details her strategies for creating inclusive innovation ecosystems. Her model has inspired similar initiatives in Morocco, Tunisia, and Senegal, demonstrating how localized solutions can address global gender disparities in STEM.