Voting has begun for a competition by Intel Corporation and Ashoka Changemakers dubbed She Will Innovate, which looks to find innovative solutions to equip females with digital tools.
The three winners will take home a cash prize of US$10,000 on November 7.
According to Shelly Esque, Vice President, Legal and Corporate Affairs President, Intel Foundation, in a letter to the Changemakers Community: “Girls and women have a chance to succeed, (as) everybody wins. Still, some women are being left behind, especially in the developing world.”
The challenge is designed to promote information and communication technology solutions that improve the lives of girls and women.
“Technological innovations create a tremendous opportunity to bridge the gender and technology divide,” Esque said.
She says that digital technologies have tools to empower women as it enables them to break through the barriers that prevent them from improving their health, education, and well-being.
The competition is not just for Africa, but a global search for new ideas to position women as changemakers and to break barriers.
Esque says: “It’s time to innovate for the benefit of girls and women, whether your project is a Web-based education tool or a mobile phone service that delivers job opportunities to women via text message.”
The competition launched in May, with the nomination and application process closing in July.
