GIRLS in Tech (GIT), a global non-profit that works to put an end to gender inequality in high-tech industries and startups, will launch its Guyana chapter on August 7.

GIT aims to support women with the access and community they need to succeed in tech by educating and empowering those who are passionate about technology and entrepreneurship in technical industries.

As a result, technology and business courses, including coding courses, bootcamps, hackathons and startup competitions, are offered to young girls and women

“These global programmes will also be supported by local initiatives, such as Coffee & Code, a monthly mentorship meet up and an annual tech fair, which aims to not only introduce young women to the possibilities of careers in STEM, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) but also encourage industries to develop automation processes,” Founder and Managing Director of the local GIT chapter, Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran said.

Gurchuran is a Guyanese restaurateur and tech entrepreneur. In 2018, she was chosen for the Young Leader of the Americas Initiative (YLAI). The woman has been working in various tech-related empowerment projects over the past few years and this year, crafted her “Girls and Technology can change Guyana” project, which was funded by YLAI and the Inter-Development Bank (IDB).

The project encompasses wide-reaching data collection, targeting as many females as possible in Guyana; capacity-building and education, and creating digital or digitally-based solutions for communities. It is through this project that the opportunity to bring GIT to Guyana became solidified.

“Having the resources of a global nonprofit [GIT] gives us the opportunity to not only amplify our current efforts as individual organisations but to be supported by highly skilled and technical people, networks and community that currently do not exist in Guyana,” Gurchuran said.

The local GIT chapter also comprises women who have been working in empowerment and STEM projects. Currently, the board comprises head of department for the Computer Science Department at the University of Guyana, Penelope DeFreitas; tech entrepreneur, Indrawattie Hirai; ICT engineer in the eGovernment Agency, Ministry of Public Telecommunications, Rosanna Ferreira; lecturer at the University of Guyana, Vineeta Persaud; programmer/developer with the United Nations, Tanika Jones; and entrepreneur, Marissa Lowden.

The Girls in Tech global community is 60 chapters strong with an impact of more than 100,000 members in 36 countries.

At the August 7 launch, Gurchuran noted that attendees will have the opportunity to hear about the mission of putting an end to gender inequality and network in order to make meaningful connections with other women in tech in the local community. They will also have the opportunity to learn about upcoming educational and entrepreneurial programmes that Girls in Tech will be bringing to Guyana.

The event is sponsored by Sites Builders, a website and mobile application development platform that encourages users to learn and monetise the skills of building and designing responsive websites and mobile apps with or without coding.