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Google’s Women in Technology (GWiT) group in the MENA region have launched two new initiatives to enable more women to effectively use the internet this month. The g|fwd: Google for Women’s Development Workshops, and Google Women in Technology Ambassadors. Both projects are intended to support the group’s mission, “Using technology to help women realise their potential as leaders, entrepreneurs and individuals”.
The first initiative is the pilot launch, the g|fwd: Ideas to Implementation workshop was held at the American University of Cairo on the 2nd and 3rd of May. The workshops provide a hands on training for women who are looking to establish or improve an online presence for themselves, their business, or a cause. There were 15 separate participants in the workshop, with projects ranging from a small business photography service provider, to a charity addressing the plight of women and children in Northern cairo’s slums.
The participants were invited to attend with a guest to help them on their projects, and were provided with access to Google Technology experts to help them during the workshop. Power sessions were held throughout the days, to provide essential knowledge of online tools to help the ladies with their efforts, and time was given between the sessions for the participants to begin implementing what they learnt. Luisella Mazza, co-leader of the GWiT Group said, ‘we wanted to offer the women the chance to solidify their knowledge onsite, to give them the best chance of leaving the workshop with a good start on their projects, and a good idea of what they should do next to make their projects a success.’
Thoughts from participants included:
“I was able to meet up with some amazing ladies who had the passion to incorporate technology in their lives to serve their community better via various projects. It's always inspiring to mingle with people with a strong will to learn, challenge and make a difference!”
“I met with a lot of interesting people, heard new ideas and perspective. I had a blast =)”
“The workshop as we implement[ed] what we learned not just receiving information.”
The second initiative, the Google Women in Technology Ambassadors program, is intended to enable the scalability of the GWiT mission throughout the MENA and SSA region. This initial launch in MENA is something that we hope to replicate in SSA this year.So far, we have had 182 applications, and have chosen 50 GWiT Ambassadors, covering 5 countries in MENA, with 10 chapters.
If you would like to sign up - please do so here
These volunteers are taking part in the initiative because they want to help the development and education of women in their communities, which they (and we) feel is an essential component to improving the lives of all people in their communities economically and socially.
This year, we hope to see our GWiT Ambassadors benefit personally from the program, and implement plans to inspire, empower and educate the women in their own communities.
Enthusiasm from the Ambassadors is really strong - here are some quotes from them from the launch event:
“As they say a leader is made not born... if ladies in the MENA region are trained, led and get their ideas, [and] positive energy shaped in a good way beside tech[nical knowledge] they’ll lead the whole community instead of following [it].”
“The most important thing in being a leader is to be the change you wanna see in the world -as the Mahtma ghandi said- is to make a difference in your life and in other's life, is to try to make the world-your world- a better place for now & for the future, for you and for your children and Grandchildren.”
“I wanna to be a one who make change to the others.”
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