Empowering Rural Girls Through Technology, Coder Girls

Glad to introduce myself it’s the president of Butwal Coder Girls and the IT manager at the CSIT association of Butwal Multiple Campus, Sabita Neupane. I am a permanent resident of Butwal, Nepal. Currently, I am pursuing my Computer Science and Information Technology (BSC.CSIT) in the 7th Semester at Butwal Multiple Campus.

In this article, I would like to let you know about my personal interest in the field of information technology and what sorts of benefits we have after our graduation with our inner skills with us. I am a girl, enthusiastic to do something in the field of IT.

Since my childhood, I have been a keen interest in the field of information technology. I remember the past days I used to spend plenty of my time with new and old gadgets. I love to know about its invented technology and exactly how this is built in. When I was in grade 8, I was introduced to the beginning phase of programming which is QBasic. After this, I started coding for QBasic and as my academic standard was increasing gradually I was further introduced to the new and new programming language. These all fundamental bases helped me to decide what next in my upcoming future.

As a student of CSIT, I want to be more focused on making myself strong as a Tech person. Each and every person they have their own destiny in their life. Similarly, I too have my own destiny to be a successful person in the field of Information Technology. I have acquired skills in various web technologies and I am currently increasing my skills on Mobile platforms. Though I have competitive skills in Web Designing, my goal in my life is to work as a Quality Control or System Engineer. To achieve this goal definitely, I have to give my 100% effort so that my goal will be as I planned.

When just remembering the old historic time, workplaces used to be only filled with males. The past situation hasn’t changed much and the situation in Nepal is still similar. Especially in the case of Information and Communications Technology, there is a huge gender gap in Nepal. So I step myself towards this.

There are lots of reasons why girls are back in this field. Some of them are listed below:

Girls’ perceptions of Computer Science may be holding them back

90% of girls want to go into careers that help people. Girls may not think of computer science as a field that helps people. They may think of more traditional female gender roles such as the teacher, nurse, doctor, etc., Girls think that a computer scientist is a geeky guy who likes to be alone at a computer or gaming console, Girls don’t feel they fit into the computer science environment/classroom.

Girls’ perceptions of their own abilities

Girls feel people are born with fixed abilities, especially in math, Girls often give up instead of working through difficulties, Girls often perceive that some are more knowledgeable than girls, Narrow minds of women for themselves, and Traditional concepts i.e. girls are not for IT.

Lack of support from family

There are many misconceptions regarding girls in society, communities, and in many more places but nowadays with developing technology somehow the misconception are removed. And teenage girls now use computers and the Internet at rates similar to boys, but they are five times less likely to consider a technology-related career.

Girls in remote places barely have access to a computer. So, the thought of having such a career is not even an option for them. But teenage girls in the cities who are in their schools or high schools are busy with the internet all day and night. It may be some social networking site or maybe for movies or songs. But when it comes to choosing it as a career, a distinct minority will opt for it.

And establishing Butwal Coder Girls in such a place where girls themselves keep them back is a very challenging thing. Even after a lot of months of establishment we are unable to describe the main purpose of establishing Butwal Coder Girls, not just to other students even it is very difficult to make understand our group members too. The student in the last year of their bachelor’s even doesn’t have the purpose of studying IT subjects. Just they need is mentoring, and counseling and we can be the way to provide them with all of these through various programs related to Information Technology.

The course that we study in our curriculum is not sufficient for our career. It is only for studying before the exam and for the certificate after the exam. Butwal Coder Girls can be a platform for those students who have the courage to develop their leadership and will to learn and share their knowledge. We are trying our best to provide skills, and knowledge and to organize various training, workshop, seminar, programs, events, and many more which not only develop their knowledge but also help to develop their personality for their future career.

Author: Sabita Neupane (President of Butwal Coder Girls)