Girls in Tech

Dear Donor,

We are thrilled to share some exciting updates about our "Girls in Tech" project, an initiative dedicated to inspiring young girls to explore the multitude of career opportunities available for women in the tech industry. Our goal is to empower these young women by showing them that a career in this traditionally male-dominated field is not just possible, but within their grasp. 

Project Highlights:

• Career-Centered Seminars: We have been conducting seminars that focus on various opportunities in tech, alongside career assessment tests. This has enabled the girls to start mapping out their career paths with confidence and clarity. 

• Coding Sessions with Diplomat Daniel Mercier: Every week, Diplomat Daniel Mercier leads interactive coding sessions at Wakamatsu Ryo, where the girls are improving their game development skills. During a recent visit, they proudly showcased their online games, igniting a spark of excitement and creativity among them. 

• Inspiring Stories: A former resident of the children's home, now a scholar, has returned to support his siblings and pursue a degree in social work. In addition, all four Mark Bell scholars continue to excel both academically and personally. 

• Internship Success: Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our internship programs, where over 85% of the participants are young women. This is a testament to our dedication to fostering a supportive environment for aspiring female tech professionals. 

   

Your generous support has been instrumental in driving these achievements. Together, we are making strides toward gender equality in tech.

As we aim to continue supporting our students and broaden our reach, we kindly invite your support.

You can contribute by donating and spreading the word. We also encourage you to participate in our July Bonus Day, where your support will be amplified! or more details, please refer to the flyer below and review our annual report via the provided link : click here!

Kind regards,

YouMeWe Team

Overview
Our mission to support and empower girls through technology training has continued to thrive, with promising advancements taking place in our Philippines program. Over the past month, our students—ranging from as young as age 9 through high school—have demonstrated remarkable growth in their programming abilities. Guided by a dedicated team of mentors and volunteers, they have progressed from building small, one-off class projects to designing and developing larger, more complex programs over multiple months.

Notable Achievements

• Suika Game Project: The students successfully created their own version of the popular “Suika Game,” showcasing both creativity and technical expertise. This milestone illustrates their ability to work collaboratively, apply problem-solving techniques, and manage a longer development cycle—crucial skills in modern tech industries.
• Growing Night Zoo Keeper Sessions: In addition to their programming accomplishments, our “Night Zoo Keeper” lessons have expanded. With new volunteers joining the team, we can now introduce more in-depth topics and activities, offering the children fresh perspectives and supplementary guidance.

Ongoing Challenges
Despite the amazing progress of our students, the global challenge remains: only 25% of tech jobs are currently held by women, despite women comprising nearly half of the workforce. This disparity is even more pronounced when considering that the percentage of women in tech roles has declined since the 1980s. Our campaign directly addresses this gap by igniting young girls’ passion for technology at an early age and helping them cultivate the skills and confidence they need to excel in STEM fields.

Our Approach and Impact

1. Early Engagement: By introducing programming to girls (and boys) as young as nine, we create a level playing field at a stage where curiosity and creativity are at their peak.
2. Tailored Support: Through software certification training, ongoing mentorship, and volunteer-led sessions, we ensure that participants can continue growing into adolescence, high school, and beyond.
3. Long-Term Vision: The world of tech is moving rapidly toward AI, IoT, and advanced connectivity (5G and 6G). Equipping these students now with foundational skills in coding and software development lays the groundwork for a wide variety of future career paths. This is especially critical in countries like the Philippines, where access to tech education is vital for empowering young women and reducing industry gender gaps.

Looking Ahead

• Program Expansion: With more volunteers and a dedicated local team, we anticipate further curricular enhancements and the potential for new extracurricular clubs or competitions.
• Deeper Skill Development: We plan to introduce intermediate and advanced courses in areas like data structures, AI fundamentals, and web development, ensuring our students remain challenged and engaged.
• Community Involvement: As the children’s enthusiasm grows, we aim to collaborate with local schools, technology companies, and community leaders to expand access to cutting-edge resources and workplace mentorship opportunities.

Call to Action
Your continued support fuels the progress of these bright, determined learners in the Philippines. By contributing to our campaign—whether through donations, volunteer efforts, or spreading the word—you help open doors for future generations of tech-savvy girls. Together, we are not only nurturing the innovators of tomorrow but also bridging a critical gender gap in the tech sector.

Thank you for being part of this journey. We look forward to sharing more success stories as our students continue to learn, create, and break new ground in technology.