Girls Got IT is a joint initiative bringing together five active Lebanese NGOs: the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB), Arab Women in Computing (ArabWIC), Women in Technology (WIT), Women in Engineering (WIE) and Digital Opportunity trust (DOT) together they created the initiative and implemented it for the first time in March 2016. The “Girls Got IT” (GGIT) is led by the LLWB.
Girls Got IT aims to break the cultural stereotypes that surround women in STEAM subjects by exposing young females to essential technology skills. Allowing them to meet inspiring role models and learn more about the various success stories from their country and the world. In addition, the initiative seeks to support the technology start-up ecosystem in Lebanon where the initiative is implemented. GGIT contributes to the startup ecosystem, by partnering with entrepreneurs, SME and tech specialists from the community to provide GGIT workshops. As well as we target to identify our inspirational speakers so they can share their experiences and motivation with our participants.
Girls Got IT was designed to empower the youth and turn them into engaged citizens, able to be positive contributors to their society and to help enhance the job creation and integration of women in the different fields of STEAM.
Each event gathers more than 400 girls' students', school girls from public and private schools (10th, 11th and 12th grades) for a full day introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM). The students attend hands on training sessions in mobile and web development, 3D printing, gaming and graphic design, renewable energy, robotics, and many more.
Throughout the day, girls are be empowered through networking with professionals who could serve as role models. Girls who have excelled in their respective workshops will be awarded gifts during the closing ceremony
This cooperation between the five NGOs aimed to strengthen the framework in spreading the awareness of science, technology, engineering and math culture across Lebanon and to break the cultural stereotypes of women in STEAM by exposing young girls to inspiring role models and success stories from Lebanon and last but not least, to strengthen the bonds within society through fostering volunteering and the spirit of giving back to the society.

Objectives:

  1. - To inspire the youth to select STEAM subjects and encourage them to venture into STEAM career paths
  2. - To bridge the gender gap in the realms of IT and engineering and break the cultural stereotypes of women in STEAM fields
  3. - To empower the youth and turn them into engaged citizens, making a sustainable change in society
  4. - To awaken the minds of the youth and bring together movers and shakers of society, as leaders to emulate
  5. - Support the technology startup ecosystem in Lebanon

LLWB (Lebanese League for Women in Business)


http://www.llwb.org

LLWB is a socio-economic, apolitical and non-religious association bringing together professional women by providing them with a platform to:


  • - Share experiences & challenges
  • - Develop competencies & skills.
  • - Network & exchange expertise

Our mission is: Encourage women in business to “Take the lead and succeed”

For more information and news: https://www.facebook.com/LLWB.org/

Arab WIC - The Arab Women In Computing


http://arabwic.org

The goal of The Arab Women In Computing (ArabWIC) is to support, inspire, retain, encourage collaboration among, increase visibility of and help elevate the status of Arab women in computing, and allow them to achieve their career goals. Also, to create linkage with international women-in-CS organizations. 

For more information and news: https://www.facebook.com/arabwic.org/

(WIE) IEEE Women in Engineering


http://www.ieee.org/women

IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to promoting women engineers and scientists and inspiring girls around the world to follow their academic interests to a career in engineering.

The mission of IEEE WIE is to facilitate the global recruitment, retention and recognition of women in technical disciplines. IEEE WIE envisions a vibrant community of IEEE women and men collectively using their diverse talents to innovate for the benefit of humanity.

As an affinity group under IEEE Lebanon section, IEEE WIE Lebanon aspires to build a strong women in STEM network in Lebanon. It aims at empowering women engineers and helping them achieve their career goals and being more successful in the world of science technology by organizing networking events, technical events (workshops/panels), and professional and career development activities. One of the main goals of IEEE WIE Lebanon is to encourage more girls to pursue careers in STEM by having pre-university educational outreach.

For more information and news: https://www.facebook.com/wielebanon

Women in IT (WIT)


http://www.witmena.org/where_we_work/lebanon/profiles_lebanon_partners.html

WIT serves as a platform for professional women to share and exchange information, toggle issues of concern, implement strategies and search for opportunities with the purpose of strengthening the capacity of all women through the usage of ICT Women in IT (WIT) is a Lebanese non-profit association was established in 1 July 2005 and launched in 14 June 2006. It is dedicated to inspire more women to be willing and able to use the new technologies as a tool for their empowerment. In particular, WIT aims at:

  • ENCOURAGING more young women and girls to choose and prepare for ICT careers
  • IMPROVING THE LIVES of all women, their families and communities through the usage of ICT WIT is a non-political non-sectarian organization governed by its constitution that is based on transparency, integrity, and social advancement.

For more information and news: https://www.facebook.com/Women-in-IT/

Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT)


https://lebanon.dotrust.org

Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) is a leading international social enterprise headquartered in Canada with local operations in 14 countries around the globe, including Lebanon.

DOT  is  a  leader  in  creating  educational,  economic,  and  entrepreneurial  opportunity  through  the  effective  use  of   information and communication  technology  for  communities  and  people  in  countries  that  are  developing,  in   transition,  or  under  stress.  

The  impact  of  DOT’s  economic  programs  (ReachUp!,  StartUp!)  and  DOT’s  education  sector  program  TeachUp!   are unparalleled.  In Lebanon, To date, 138 (69.2% women) young Lebanese leaders have been trained and deployed to 52 communities throughout Lebanon to deliver DOT’s programs. DOT Lebanon has worked with a diverse network of nearly 34 Lebanese community partners and 126 Lebanese Public Secondary Schools. Over 5,385 individuals (over 39.5% women) have learned ICT, modern workforce and small enterprise development skills

For more information and news: https://www.facebook.com/DOTLebanon/