Noha Bassiouny

Founded She Builds Africa to empower women in engineering and construction in Egypt and beyond

Noha Bassiouny is a visionary Egyptian architect and social entrepreneur who founded She Builds Africa in 2021 to address the gender gap in engineering and construction industries across the continent. With over 15 years of professional experience in sustainable infrastructure projects, she observed that less than 5% of Africa's construction workforce were women despite their critical role in community development. Through her organization, Bassiouny has trained over 2,000 women across 8 African countries through immersive vocational programs that combine technical skills with leadership training. The initiative's signature 'Build Her Future' program includes partnerships with UN Women and the African Development Bank, creating pathways for women to lead infrastructure projects in renewable energy, housing, and transportation sectors.

Her groundbreaking work was highlighted in a BBC feature that documented how She Builds Africa graduates are now managing $20M+ projects in Kenya's solar energy sector and rebuilding schools in post-conflict regions of Sudan. Bassiouny's TEDx Talk "How to Build a Girl's Future with Concrete and Steel" has inspired similar initiatives in South America and Southeast Asia. By creating a network of 150+ women-led construction cooperatives, she's directly contributed to a 23% increase in female participation in engineering roles across East Africa since 2022.