By Noelia Murillo | Executive Director
Through collaborative innovation, Ideas en Acción has focused on creating programs aimed at closing the gender gap in STEAM fields. Here’s what we’ve achieved in 2024:
MenTe en Acción Program:, we ran 3 editions where 101 young women between the ages of 15 and 19 graduated from various regions of the country.
They developed solutions to address problems related to different SDGs over nine weeks. Through technology, these women were empowered and learned the basics of programming, gaining the opportunity to enter the STEAM world and explore what it could mean for their future careers. In this edition, we totaled over 1,270 volunteer hours, including technical mentoring for app programming, Design Thinking for prototype ideation, and photography to capture the experience. Additionally, we were sponsored by Accenture, Procter & Gamble, IBM, and Smiths Group Foundation. Through partnerships with Efecto Boomerang, Universidad CENFOTEC, Lincoln School, and Universidad LCI Veritas, we received further support.
We are currently beginning the 26th edition of the program, in a new version that is focused on girls in high schools that want to use their vacations to learn about STEAM.
Women in Action - Employable Training Program: in October we graduated 39 women between the ages of 18 and 30 who obtained certifications in Software Development Engineering or Cybersecurity, offered by our sponsor IBM. Additionally, participants are receiving conversational English classes to boost their confidence, employability skills training, and workshops on personal empowerment, leadership, and gender equality; all, while being supported throughout the 16 weeks to track their progress.
This edition was sponsored by Accenture, Procter & Gamble, IBM, and Smiths Group Foundation.
Red MenTe: We strived to provide monthly activities tailored to the various interests and needs of the young women in our Red MenTe network, most of whom are beginning their professional and academic journeys. In total we offered them 29 activities through the year.
In our virtual activities, volunteers have brought in topics such as Digital Rights and Obligations for the Youth, Girls Coding for Change, Introduction to Agile Methodologies, and Introduction to Git.
We’ve also held in-person workshops on topics like "Professional Branding: Building My Own Success" by journalist Mariana Sáenz, and "Best Practices for Interviews and Resumes" with Equifax. Additionally, our MenTes were invited to screenings of the Costa Rican film "Memorias de un cuerpo que arde" by Substance Films, aimed at fostering intergenerational dialogue among women. Two scholarships were also awarded for the exclusive "Entrepreneurship Program for Innovators and Changemakers," thanks to Lincoln School.
Niñas Hacia el Espacio Program: A program aimed at girls between 7 and 9 years old who want to explore STEAM fields through playful activities and creativity. In 2024, we brought the program to Guanacaste, Heredia, Cartago, Limón and Puntarenas, and we will soon hold a special edition (our 8th) to raise funds for future editions, which we hope to continue expanding across the country. Almost 250 girls had participated in this program
We hope to bring more people on board to support our projects in 2025 to maximize our impact.
THANK YOU!
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