IT Academy STEP Cambodia received a prestigious international award in the EQUALS in TECH Award 2020 for the organization and successful implementation of the first programming club for girls in Cambodia - Sisters of Code. Among 360 submitted projects from around the world, this educational program was highly praised by the jury from UN Women, UN Information Technology Unit, GSMA, United Nations University, and International Trade Center.
In 2019, IT Academy STEP Cambodia founded the Sisters of Code coding club for girls aged 10 to 20 in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport in Cambodia. Sisters of Code attracted the attention of international organizations and embassies, thanks to which lessons for girls were delivered free of charge. This is especially important as Cambodia has one of the lowest interest in programming among female students in the world. Only 7% of female students choose technical specialties and only 30% of graduates continue to work in the field of IT. There is a widespread stereotype in society that only boys can learn programming and computers. Sisters of Code club was created with an aim to change the situation and help Cambodian female students to try their hand at programming. In just a year, 150 female students have successfully completed training with Sisters of Code, many of whom have decided to continue their education in the field of IT.
The international competition EQUALS in TECH Award was created in 2017 with the aim of supporting the most successful initiatives that contribute to the integration of girls and women in the IT industry, including educational programs and scientific research.
This award is already the second international award given IT Academy STEP Cambodia for the educational project Sisters of Code. In October 2020, this project was recognized as one of the best in the international SOLVE MIT Global Challenge by the famous Massachusetts Institute of Technologies. This competition received over 2,600 entries from 135 countries in 6 different categories. Cambodian coding club for girls Sisters of Code has become one of the top 7 in the category Learning for Girls and Women.
IT Academy STEP Cambodia is the leading IT education institution in Cambodia thanks to its unique and effective curriculum, as well as the successful integration of technologies into the educational process. The Academy actively participates in the social life of the Kingdom, implementing unique educational projects such as Sisters of Code or ICT Bootcamps PowerUp.
