International Girls in ICT Day 2023 - Digital Skills for Life

Last Friday, I had an amazing opportunity to join @progresif.ceo Puan Hjh Nurul Haniah, for a dialogue session as part of the International Girls in ICT Day 2023 hosted by @aiti.brunei. This year's theme, "Digital Skills for Life," is especially relevant in today's increasingly digital world and it's great to be part of the steps taken by AITI Brunei to promote the development of these essential skills. Even more exciting, the session was a full house with over 80 girls from different schools, both with and without a computer science background!

The moderator began by highlighting the gender data gap, sharing examples from Caroline Criado Perez's book, "Invisible Women." It is interesting to note that women have been systematically overlooked and underrepresented in many areas of society, including politics, business leadership, and STEM fields. I was reminded of this when I recently came across a video about Apple overlooking period tracking when it launched health tracking features in 2014.

During the session, I had the opportunity to share my startup journey as an educator with limited experience in programming or running a tech company. It all started with a goal to develop a digital solution that could make a difference in society. It takes dedication and hard work, but it's a rewarding journey knowing that we are paving the way for the younger generation.

I am grateful for the opportunity to interact with these young girls, and I hope they grow up feeling empowered and confident in themselves. We are living in a time where there is more awareness about gender equality, and it's essential for us to continue having conversations about the negative impacts of gender stereotypes and modelling positive behaviour for the next generation. Let's keep pushing for progress!