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SHEImpact is a women-focused empowerment and entrepreneurship program designed to support women who have witnessed or experienced gender-based violence (GBV)
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Adly Wagih Thoma, Chairman and CEO of Gemini Africa, has been named one of the Middle East’s Top Impactful and Unstoppable Personalities in 2025, in recognition of his exceptional leadership and long-standing contribution to inclusive socioeconomic development across Africa and the Middle East. With more than two decades of experience and a global footprint spanning over 85 countries, Thoma has built a career at the intersection of creativity, entrepreneurship, and development. Through Gemini Africa, he has played a pivotal role in transforming creative industries and social entrepreneurship into scalable engines of economic growth—empowering youth, women, and entrepreneurs through impact-driven programs and cross-sector partnerships. Under his leadership, Gemini Africa has grown into a regional platform supporting innovation, creative economies, and sustainable enterprise development, while fostering collaboration between the public sector, private sector, and international stakeholders. His work continues to demonstrate how purpose-led leadership can translate creative vision into tangible national and regional economic value. Commenting on the recognition, Thoma said:
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From-talent-to-sustainable-livelihoods: Why Egypt's creative economy needs structured maker programs
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10 Questions with “IDMAG”: Building Inclusive Cinema Through Sign-Language Avatars
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Gemini Africa, in collaboration with Oriental Weavers, has successfully concluded Weavers of Tomorrow, a long-term industry-driven program designed to unlock innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation within Egypt’s textile and home décor sector.
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In a powerful celebration of resilience, innovation, and social impact, Gemini Africa, in partnership with UNFPA, concluded the 2025 edition of the SHEImpact Program with a dynamic Exhibition & Pitching Event that brought together Egypt’s most promising women-led initiatives. Out of 612 applicants, only 16 finalists were selected to showcase and pitch their ventures at the closing event—an inspiring testament to the program’s rigorous selection journey and commitment to excellence After an intense and thoughtful evaluation process, three exceptional initiatives were awarded a monetary prize of EGP 50,000 each, marking not an end—but the beginning—of their next chapter of growth and impact. The 2025 SHEImpact Winners WenDo – Founder: Omneya Abdel Aal A GBV-focused initiative combining physical self-defense training with psychological tools such as psychodrama and art therapy. WenDo empowers women and girls aged 7 to 60—including women with disabilities—to prevent and confront violence, particularly sexual harassment. Its integrated and inclusive approach strengthens both mental and physical resilience. Mosanda – Founder: Shaymaa Mansour Addressing the growing threat of cyber harassment and blackmail, Mosanda provides discreet legal assistance and psychological support to women facing online abuse. By protecting digital rights and privacy, the initiative creates a safe, stigma-free support system that promotes justice and emotional well-being in the digital space. Click Safe – Founder: Amany Osama Click Safe empowers women and girls to prevent and respond to online violence through digital safety awareness sessions, secure internet-use guidance, and direct intervention support in cases of cyber extortion or defamation. With hands-on technical assistance and community-centered outreach, the initiative strengthens women’s digital autonomy and resilience. Each of these ventures embodies SHEImpact’s mission: advancing women’s empowerment while addressing gender-based violence through entrepreneurship, education, and community engagement A Rigorous and Transparent Evaluation Process The final event welcomed 16 participants, each presenting her project through an exhibition table format. Each founder had 4 minutes to pitch her idea and share her story. Judges then had 3 minutes for questions and discussion. The Gemini Africa team guided the panel from table to table to ensure equal time, fairness, and smooth flow for every participant. The decision was far from easy. The distinguished judging panel included: Mr. Adly Thoma – Chairman & CEO, Gemini Africa Ms. Amany Abou Zeid – Regional Arts Director – MENA, The British Council Mr. Amr AboElAzm – Co-founder, CEO & Vice Chairman, Erada Microfinance Ms. Germain Haddad – Deputy Representative, UNFPA Ms. Yara El Narsh – Public Affairs Manager, Egyptian Food Bank With 16 high-potential ventures tackling GBV, economic inclusion, digital safety, psychosocial support, and community empowerment, selecting three winners required careful deliberation. Evaluation Criteria Projects were assessed using a comprehensive scoring framework (1–5 scale from Poor to Excellent) across the following dimensions: Severity of the Gap or Criticality of the Problem Competitive Advantage & Innovation Social Impact & Gender Lens Existing Achievements & Traction Potential for Growth & Scalability Budget & Financial Sustainability Partnership-Building Capacity Presentation & Storytelling Effectiveness This multidimensional evaluation ensured that winners demonstrated not only strong ideas—but viable, scalable, and sustainable models capable of generating long-term social change. More Than an Award — The Beginning of a Journey The SHEImpact Award represents more than a monetary prize. It signals trust in these founders’ visions, recognition of their resilience, and belief in their capacity to scale impact. Through Gemini Africa’s 3M framework—Mentorship, Matchmaking, and Money—these ventures will continue receiving ecosystem support, strategic connections, and opportunities for growth. As showcased throughout the SHEImpact journey, the program integrates entrepreneurship training, GBV awareness, psychosocial support, mentorship, and matchmaking—creating a holistic empowerment ecosystem for women across Egypt. The energy at the final event was electric. Stories of courage, determination, and innovation filled the room. For the three winners—and for all 16 finalists—this moment marks the launchpad toward stronger ventures, safer communities, and a more equitable future. Because when women rise, communities thrive.
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