In the 8th edition of “Girls Got IT” (GGIT) that took place in Deir El Qamar (NDU Campus) on March 2nd, 170 girls were introduced to a world of potential in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). Believing in the need to bridge the gap between the youth’s education opportunities and the future market needs, “Girls Got IT” started in 2016 with the idea of empowering young girls and adequately equipping them with relevant education and experience, to be able to become engaged citizens with a big role to play in the development of their society.
After training 3,000 girls in Beirut, Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, Akkar, Bekaa and Tyre, “Girls Got IT” engages with the youth of the Chouf, inviting them to join the movement and delve into the world of innovation, learning from the country’s brightest and most accomplished entrepreneurs through customized programs and hands-on workshops.
“Girls Got IT” is a joint initiative between five Lebanese NGOs, led by the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB), in collaboration with the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MEHE), supported by UNICEF, and funded by the German Government (KFW). Believing in partnerships as a key factor to any real social change, LLWB has collaborated with over 40 entrepreneurs from the various ecosystems (Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, Beirut, North, South), and were able to attract and engage 120 volunteers from universities and NGOs.
Asmahan Zain, President of LLWB (Lebanese League of Women in Business), passionately addressed the 170 young GGIT participants: “Change can only happen if we believe in it and create opportunities for it to exist and affect. We need to continue breaking the stereotypes of our societies. By bridging the gender gap and creating fully empowered and engaged citizens of our young female generation with STEAM education tools, we will achieve just that.”
“Girls Got IT is one of the first phases of UNICEF’s Generation of Innovation Leaders Program (GIL) where students have access to hands-on workshops, talks by industry leaders, and tutorials to help the youth explore innovative new digital concepts” explained Tanya Chapuisat, UNICEF Representative in Lebanon. She focused on the fact that “when youth participate and learn together, they create a sense of community and belonging to more than just individual interests; they also create a future that benefits all of them as future leaders.”
GIL, powered by UNICEF, is a program designed to address the high unemployment rates among youth nationwide and their inaccessibility to the knowledge economy. GIL Innovation labs operate nationwide to make sure the program reaches even those residing in the most secluded and marginalized areas. In these labs, youth are provided with trainings, workshops, and events where they discover new opportunities, network with like-minded people, and develop their digital and entrepreneurial skills.
During the event, students were able to choose between more than 20 topics delivered in different workshops. All workshops were developed and led by successful startups and entrepreneurs coming from various STEAM industries: DOT Lebanon, Top Design, Spica Tech, Blom Edu, Kids Genius, Unlock, My ioLab and Fig. And in addition to the expert partners, GGIT worked with two NPOs (non-profit organizations) as community partners: Rural Entrepreneurs and Tatweer Baladna.
Part of the new workshops developed newly for the Chouf area, the girls benefitted from the following sessions: Introduction to Drama + Understanding your own skills + Our Senses are the source of actions + Improve the imagination + Theater Space Usage Communication Skills and Body Language + Dramatic Character Analysis + From scripting to actions + Video Content + Understanding Video techniques + Introduction of video editing and its usage for social media marketing Nowadays.
Also, GGIT made sure that the students are introduced to STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) through the engagement in multiple Hands-on, Project-based activities such as building bridges, planning missions to Mars, changing Trash to Treasure etc. Those applied exercises will prepare them for future careers, inspire them to become Leaders who can solve the most pressing challenges facing our nation and help them shape our future for the better. They also learned about: Renewable Energy Systems + Green Buildings and sustainable cities + Microgrids and power distribution systems + Smart metering, energy storage, and electric vehicles + workshop will include interactive exercises and a case for the electricity sector in Lebanon.
In closing, an awards ceremony took place during which 2 girls from each workshop were chosen as stars; these outstanding performers are then integrated into the GGIT Alumni Club, currently consisting of 210 members. Hence marking another successful edition in the GGIT event series, this time making its mark in the Shouf community.
It should be noted that the upcoming ninth edition of GGIT, and in true GGIT fashion, would be the annual flagship event in May. Riding on the successes of the previous events and confidently building the momentum with over 3000 students already part of the GGIT community, the flagship event promises even larger attendance with even larger workshop and training offerings.