Zineb Akach

A Moroccan social entrepreneur empowering rural women through tech-driven entrepreneurship

Zineb Akach is a Moroccan social entrepreneur and founder of Nafas, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering economic independence among rural Moroccan women through technology education and microfinance. Born in 1990 in a remote village near Marrakech, Zineb witnessed firsthand the systemic barriers preventing women from accessing education and financial resources. After earning a degree in computer science from the Cadi Ayyad University, she returned to her community to launch Nafas in 2021. The organization combines digital literacy workshops with seed funding programs, helping women launch businesses in e-commerce, sustainable agriculture, and artisanal crafts. By 2023, Nafas had trained over 1,200 women and supported 300+ startups, generating $2.5 million in collective revenue. Zineb's TEDx talk "Code for Change: Bridging the Digital Divide" has been viewed 500,000+ times. Her work intersects with UN Sustainable Development Goals 5 (Gender Equality) and 8 (Decent Work), receiving recognition from Forbes Africa's 30 Under 30 in 2022.