"FutureMeClubs" Project

The problem  is ; Bridging  gender gap in STEM Education by enabling girls   “Access  Quality Learning through ICT” to promote quality, relevant and Inclusive education

Lack of access to ICT in education denies girls opportunity to take up STEM Subjects and especially in fields of Science and Technology as their interactions are only limited to classroom walls. If girls are exposed to using technology early in their formative years of job preparation, they would be more confident to pursue and take up courses to launch careers in science and technology  .

Secondly learning with ICT had an added advantage to marginalized and vulnerable girls who are wooed into early marriages by their male counterparts for “smart phones”

Exposing Girls to mobile digital technologies will keep girls focused on achieving their career dreams as they have already experienced them while in school and communities through learning.

In Uganda Girls  are particularly under-represented in STEM education. There is low enrollment, poor performance and high numbers of dropouts. In 2014,a government report revealed a severe drop between 2009 and 2014 in the percentage of Girls passing biology and mathematics...

Feminists argue that the women’s exclusion from science is typical of a patriarchal society as it is a way of excluding women from powerful positions and powerful knowledge.  Secondly, the gender-stereotyping presented in school textbooks and curriculum materials(Ansary & Babaii,2013 etal) tends to present women and girls in a biased ways as primarily mothers, homemakers and caretakers hence believing that science are meant for boys with more intellectual power and influence .

The solution will close gender gap on STEM education outcomes by: training, and mentoring   girls and supporting teachers to deliver quality education by integrating ICT in education, and connecting schools to uniquely collaborate with global schools to engage in discussions, share ideas and solutions that science and Technology can offer to humanity and its challenges.

Through formation of Future Me Clubs, girls will be given an opportunity to be "futured" as technologists and scientists in different fields that have been traditionally dominated by their male counterparts.

The solution will use  digital technologies to inspire the next generation of girls to learn and share knowledge about,  the importance of Technology in solving today’s greatest challenges. Girls will work through  “ FutureMeClubs “ and be mentored into  launching careers in technology and science   by enabling access to using technology in their school environments and communities supervised by Volunteers/ Mentors.  Using technology in learning and sharing experience with other peers and mentors  across borders will not only transform their  school environments but make 

their schools and communities  hubs of leadership on Girls  education  as reflected in the UN Goals on Education for Sustainable  Development(ESD).

The project will be implemented at school level(in its first phase or quarter) and community level by use of volunteers /mentors who will work with girls in schools and  in communities where volunteers live  and start similar clubs to reach more girls  

The solution will serve :

the girls  in secondary schools aged 12-18 who cannot pursue careers in ICT due to limited or lack of access to  digital technologies.

 teachers who will be equipped with knowledge and skills to support their girls in using technology to improve their learning outcomes and meet  their educational goals. 

 the  communities  where girls and their mentors ,including  their immediate families to awareness about investing in girls' education 

  The solution will engage girls in secondary schools through their FutureMeClubs by buiding their capacities to :

• Learn applying their theoretical knowledge into practice by teaching them basic skills in computing
• Understand the daily use or application of ICT in our daily lives and how ICT can be used to solve humanity and its challenges  both locally and globally
•  Take up courses in STEM and connecting them with role models in the field who have succeeded  hence inspiring and motivating girls to do the same 
•  Advocate for inclusive  National policies  on science and Education   to ensure  girls from diverse backgrounds take up courses and launch careers in science and technology

Problems that hinder Girls’ and Women’s achievement in Education and Learning are multi-faceted and  influenced by different layers of gender,   health issues , and  norms  that impact girls and women negatively in and out of school.

The problems can be  linked to the learning environments and socialization within schools which does not allow girls and women to participate in the learning optimally, attributed to poor gender ,inclusion and diversity management.

Solutions should hence involve  deliberate actions to enable exclusive access to inclusive and quality education for girls ,policy change and creation through sensitization and advocacy at all levels.

The solution uses inclusive approaches to addressing gender gaps in education by focusing structural and institutional factors that hinder girls'achievements.

The competitors are Organizations working to include girls and women in technology and promoting access to education for girls. These can be collaborators and allies rather than competitors who we partner with to advance Girls and women education

The solution will use digital technologies to partly  achieve its deliverables

It a widely accepted technology more of integrating ICT in learning to address inequalities in education of girls and women

Girls and women present untapped resource to spar social ,and economic transformation.

Exclusion of women in development denies them opportunities to fully exploit their potential,maximize their talents for the benefit of humanity.

To achieve this leadership styles and policies surrounding girls and women access to education,employment and participation must be changed using Diversity & inclusion lenses to gender Equality in both private and public spheres

Currently 5 schools with over 2000 students aged 13-18 incuding boys

The solution will engage girls in secondary schools through their FutureMeClubs by buiding their capacities to :

• Learn applying their theoretical knowledge into practice by teaching them basic skills in computing
• Understand the daily use or application of ICT in our daily lives and how ICT can be used to solve humanity and its challenges  both locally and globally
•  Take up courses in STEM and connecting them with role models in the field who have succeeded  hence inspiring and motivating girls to do the same 
•  Advocate for inclusive  National policies  on science and Education   to ensure  girls from diverse backgrounds take up courses and launch careers in science and technology

The solution is a project of Global Learning for Sustainability(GLS) ayouth-led Organization premised on addressing challenges related to SDGs 4,5 and 13.
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The solution will part of its strategy and programme to achieve SDG s 4 and 5 by promoting inclusive Education for the marginalized and vulnerable girls.

10 people with 4 Board Members,2 consultants

5 full-time volunteers and 5 part-time volunteers

All my team members have required knowledge,skills and qualifications to deliver.

The team has been undergoing capacity building /strengthening under our pilot project Diversity & Inclusion  to improve their knowledge and skills in working for inclusive workplaces within  Civil Society

Our parners include:

-CIVICUS: World Alliance for citizen participation and Democracy

-Flat Connections. Australia

-Global Educators Forum

1.  Key Partnerships: Schools, Non-Governmental Organizations,Educators,Government Agencies

2. Key Activities: Training of Teachers and and direct beneficiaries Communities, Formation of FutureMeClubs in each partner school,

3.Key Resources: Human. Time, Assets including technological resources

4.Cost structure:  purchase of necessary technological hardware/equipment, Consultancy,personnel involved and Administrative costs

Investment on returns by selling our product/services to different stakeholders

Sponsorship from donations and grants for a long period of time to build capacities of beneficiary communities to sustain gains achieved during the funding period

The solution seeks to remove the barriers to Girls Inclusion in taking up STEM subjects and courses  hence promoting access to quality and Inclusive learning: Through the programme,”Futuremeclubs” will be supported to mentor girls who have passion in ICT ,support them with access to use of technology so as to experience the joy of learning and being taught with modern methods as opposed to traditional teaching methods that discourage creative, and critical thinking as they apply theoretical  knowledge to science/technology. Girls who have passion in ICT will be integrated into the “Futuremeclubs” and trained to be advocates of girls excluded in education due to lack of access to technology.

Each “Futuremeclubs”will be connected to our partner schools on Global Educators forum with similar projects to share and discuss challenges related to education and Gender Equality(SDGs4 &5) among other global challenges that can be solved by modern technology. This will open the eyes of girls beyond their world and develop transferrable knowledge and skills they can use to transform their communities using both technology.

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 My partnership goals are to enhance STEM Education for girls  from diverse backgrounds globally, complemented by local and international stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share  knowledge,expertise,technology and financial resources to support the achieving of Gender Equality  in  STEM Education,for marginalized girls.

I am interested in partnering with MIT Partners,or nay initiative under MIT and MIT staff who may be interested in mentoring my team.

I am currently coordinating a project on strengthening my Organization towards Diversity & Inclusion. see our previous newsletter on the work I am coordinating  https://spark.adobe.com/page/W...

The project has improved my leadership skills, and knowledge on inclusion of marginalized groups especially in education of girls from diverse backgrounds towards achieving gender equality in both public and private spheres.

When the project ends this September, I would like to continue and expand my work on Inclusion by advocating for STEM Education for the most vulnerable girls in poor Income schools.

With this grant Prize, I will definitely be able to scale up activities that will lead bridging gap in STEM Education between girls and boys.