On November 30th and December 1st, 2020, GSMA and EQUALS hosted two Tech4Girls workshops in Karachi, Pakistan, in partnership with CodeGirls Karachi. The EQUALS team sat down recently to chat with the Karachi Tech4Girls workshop award winners, Sana Sheraz and Ayesha Wadiwala, to find out what they thought of the Tech4Girls experience and to hear more about their winning projects!
EQUALS editorial team: What motivated you to participate in the Tech4Girls workshop?
Sana: I do not have any formal education in entrepreneurship or technology, and I am always looking for opportunities to become better equipped to face an array of challenges.
Ayesha: In our era, technology is changing rapidly. I always look for relevant workshops that will help me to increase my knowledge, and this workshop helped me to grow my social circle and network.
EQUALS editorial team: Did you learn some new tech (or tech-related) concepts during the workshop? What are they?
Sana: Yes, I learned a lot. I had been seeking to set up a store. I was working on DIY entrepreneurship kits, but the fees demanded by the web developer were holding me back. Now, after the workshop, I can set up my own store myself without anyone’s help, and that is quite a relief.
Ayesha: Yes! Particularly Shopify. I had zero knowledge of it before the workshop, but the workshop trainer really helped me to clarify the concepts. I also learned about online safety. And the concepts of, and differences between, many technologies were discussed in detail.
EQUALS editorial team: What did you most appreciate about the workshop?
Sana: The best part for me was learning how to set up the store for my start-up, in addition to the more general learning and training. I also really appreciated the session on cyberbullying as this is a common online threat nowadays.
Ayesha: I enjoyed the friendly nature of the trainers I met at the workshop, and I am very grateful to them for their time and effort.
EQUALS editorial team: What was/were the most memorable moment(s) of the workshop for you?
Sana: I enjoyed the whole session; it was a wonderful experience and was well conducted by the trainers and guest speakers. I enjoyed every bit of it!
Ayesha: The workshop was designed in such a way that it held my interest constantly, throughout the session.
EQUALS editorial team: Can you tell us about your final project? What inspired your idea?
Sana: My project is called Learning Lab: it’s a platform designed to help kids get a taste of entrepreneurship from an early age. When my daughter went to school, I realized that she was studying the same curriculum that I had studied 20 years before, and this gave me a bit of a fright and inspired me to start working with kids. This gave rise to my idea of launching this platform, which I think is necessary and timely now.
"I want to help kids prepare themselves to meet the challenges of the future." - Sana Sheraz
Ayesha: My final project was to explore Shopify. I always seek to work on different technologies, and the workshop inspired me to explore Shopify features. I created a store and showcased it during project presentations.
EQUALS editorial team: Has the Tech4Girls workshop inspired you to continue learning new tech skills or even contemplate a career in the tech sector or tech-based entrepreneurship?
Sana: Yes, definitely. After the session, I helped my colleague to set up her store at Shopify. So, yes, it is definitely a springboard.
Ayesha: Yes! It inspired me greatly. Moreover, I want to be part of Tech4Girls in the future, and I would love to offer my services to help train and inspire other girls and young women.
EQUALS editorial team: What are your goals and dreams?
Sana: I want to incorporate tech training for kids on my platform. I want to help kids prepare themselves to meet the challenges of the future.
Ayesha: My dream would be to help train and inspire more girls through Tech4Girls!
EQUALS editorial team: Is/are there (a) woman/women role model(s) you admire? What do you admire about her/them?
Sana: I admire so many, including: Jehan Ara; Tehmina R Chauderay; Nadia Patel Ganjee; Hira Saeed; and Faiza Yousuf. I know each of these women personally, and they are all always ready to help other women entrepreneurs on their journeys.
Ayesha: Nadia Patel is a true inspiration for all. I admire the way she helps young entrepreneurs and promotes them.
EQUALS editorial team: What advice would you give to encourage other girls and women to explore technology and/or take part in a Tech4Girls workshop?
Sana: Technology is the future, so we have to prepare ourselves for future challenges. I personally believe that girls and women have huge potential, more than anyone.
Ayesha: Women play vital roles in every sector. We need more and more women in the tech field. The more women there are, the more we can grow and survive in this challenging era.
"I want to be part of Tech4Girls in the future, and I would love to offer my services to help train and inspire other girls and young women." - Ayesha Wadiwala
EQUALS editorial team: Would you like to add anything?
Sana: Thank you once again for providing such an amazing platform for women and girls. I’m looking forward to joining more sessions or workshops.
Ayesha: I would like to thank all the trainers, guest speakers and contributors for their time and effort. Keep up the great work!
EQUALS editorial team: Congratulations again Ayesha & Sana, and thank you for today’s interview!
More info about Tech4Girls: equalsintech.org/tech4girls
EQUALS Tech4Girls is supported by Verizon