Basmalaa Ahmed Thabet

Participated as a youth contributor in policy dialogue sessions on education in crisis-affected contexts, advancing SDG 4. Contributed verbally to discussions on educational equity, access to opportunities, and the role of low-cost AI and digital learning initiatives in underserved communities.

Becoming a scholar in the African Leadership Academy (ALA) Leadership Program was not just an academic achievement, it was a journey of discovering what it truly means to lead and create change. The program pushed me beyond my comfort zone, teaching me that leadership is not about position, but about vision, responsibility, and service to others. As part of this journey, I was selected to join the BIAB Leadership & Entrepreneurship Program, where I had the opportunity to translate leadership into action. Surrounded by passionate young leaders, I learned how to identify real challenges in society, design creative entrepreneurial solutions, and bring those ideas to life through structured projects and teamwork. One of the most powerful lessons I gained was that entrepreneurship is not only about building businesses, but about building hope and opportunities where they are most needed. Through interactive workshops, mentorship, and collaboration, I strengthened my critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills, while also learning the value of resilience and adaptability. The experience gave me confidence not only to dream of solutions, but to take responsibility for creating them. This combined experience with ALA and BIAB shaped me into a leader who sees challenges as opportunities, and who believes in using knowledge, innovation, and compassion to drive meaningful change in communities. It was a turning point that deepened my commitment to becoming a change-maker—one who leads with both heart and strategy.

Founder & President — E.P.I.C (Educational Platform for Innovation and Challenges) I founded EPIC, a student-led initiative that empowers high school students to go beyond textbooks by combining science, technology, personal growth, and career development into one dynamic journey. Key Achievements & Responsibilities: Designed and launched the club’s vision, mission, and strategic roadmap. Built and led a multidisciplinary team covering HR, Marketing, Content Creation, and Events Management. Organized and delivered interactive sessions in STEM, soft skills, scholarship guidance, and innovation challenges. Established partnerships and outreach channels to connect members with real-world opportunities. Created an inclusive community that promotes collaboration, volunteering, and social impact. Our mission: To inspire curiosity, develop skills, and turn ambitious students into changemakers.

Completed the AWS AI & ML Scholarship Program delivered by Udacity in collaboration with Amazon Web Services, with a focus on building strong foundations in artificial intelligence and machine learning. Key achievements include: Gained hands-on experience in machine learning fundamentals on AWS, including supervised & unsupervised learning, model deployment, and responsible AI practices. Earned the official AWS Machine Learning Badge, validating technical expertise in applying ML workflows within the AWS ecosystem. Completed a double-coursing track in ML fundamentals through AWS Education, deepening knowledge in model training, optimization, and real-world applications. Developed practical skills using AWS SageMaker, Python, and industry-standard ML pipelines for problem-solving. This experience strengthened my technical foundation in AI for cloud-based solutions and enhanced my ability to integrate scalable ML models into applied research and professional projects.