On Wednesday, March 1, the TechWomen Delegation to Morocco found themselves back in the capital city of Rabat, spending the morning this time with Rabat members of the Moroccan Center for Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship (MCISE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating a foundation for the emergence and development of social enterprises in Morocco and around the world.
The event began with remarks from mentors Reshma Singh and Erin Keeley, who spoke on climate technology and tech trends.
The delegation then heard innovative pitch presentations from MCISE enterprise owners before concluding the morning with open networking.
In the afternoon, the delegation traveled to the Islamic World Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) for the much-anticipated launch of the Titrit mentoring platform, which aims to bring digital inclusion to 50,000 girls by 2025. Titrit was developed by eSTEM Morocco, a nonprofit initiative founded in 2013 by TechWomen fellows Salima Kaissi and Nezha Larhrissi, president of the organization.
eSTEM Morocco works with volunteer mentors and tech partners to equip girls aged 8 to 18 with the tools and confidence needed to pursue sustainable scientific and technological careers. In 2022, eSTEM Morocco received a capacity-building cash grant in the amount of $100,000 USD from Digital Equity Accelerator, a program led by Aspen and funded by HP designed to help international nonprofits scale their efforts. The award also provides donated HP hardware at a value of another $100,000 USD and a four-month mentorship and training program for eSTEM Morocco. These resources were used to finance and navigate the development of the Titrit application, a project which has been managed by Business Innovation, of which TechWomen fellow Salma Gherraby is the founder and CEO.
Opening remarks were delivered by representatives of some of eSTEM Morocco’s primary supporters and stakeholders: Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Deputy Director-General of ICESCO; Ms. Aawatif Hayar, Minister of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family; Ms. Zaria Qadafi, Communications and Impact Analyst of TechWomen; Mr. Salah Ouardi, North and West Africa and Islands District Manager at HP; and, last but certainly not least, Mrs. Nezha Larhrissi, Co-founder and President of eSTEM Morocco.
The event also featured TechWomen mentors Radikha Dhomse and Samantha Raniere, who joined a riveting panel discussion, “From Silicon Valley to Morocco: Changing Perspective on Future Employment Opportunities for Women,” which was moderated by the event emcee Khadija ihsane, a journalist and tv presenter. This was followed by a second panel, moderated by journalist and tv/radio host Aziza laayouni, during which guests discussed the role of the “Titrit” platform and information technology in bridging the digital gender divide.
The launch concluded with group photos and a short demo of the Titrit application followed by a cake cutting ceremony, refreshments and networking in the garden.
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