This member story was featured in the 2016 APC Annual Report, as part of our work on use and development.
Sulá Batsú’s TIC-as programme organised its second Women’s Hackathon in 2016 – this time on the subject of Greening ICT. The event was supported, in part, by an APC member project grant for local implementation of APC’s strategic plan.
TIC-as seeks to position women in the ICT sector through the creation of education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. Among our strategies, the Women’s Hackathon definitely stands out. It is a 36-hour programming contest that takes place in rural areas of Costa Rica. The participants must develop a technological prototype in accordance with the event’s themes and requirements.
The second Women’s Hackathon took place in San Carlos, Alajuela in October, and brought together 44 women from different parts of Costa Rica. They formed 11 teams, which developed 11 technological prototypes that addressed real environmental issues in the region and the whole country.
Before, during and after the Hackathon, the contestants were also provided with workshops and mentorships that helped enrich their participation and vocational training. They acquired skills in idea development, prototyping and pitching.
Moreover, they were accompanied during the whole process by mentors who are experts and role models from related academic and professional fields, who support the participants with their expertise.
Finally, an awards ceremony was held during the San Carlos Technology Summit 2016, where the participants presented their projects to the public and a panel of high-level judges chose four winners. These prototypes offered solutions to problems such as pollution, waste and protection of national parks.
Image: Angélica Sánchez, Sulá Batsú.