There's more to 3D printing than meets the eye.
On
the surface, girls in Youth for Technology's 3D Africa program learn to
use 3D printing technology to print things like jewelry, phone cases,
and art. Behind the scenes, and with your support, 3D Africa can help
close the STEM gender skills gap. (Read more about Youth for Technology below!)
Why STEM? Why girls?
STEM: Many of us know girls lag behind boys in STEM fields in the
United States. But in emerging markets, the STEM gender gap widens
significantly. Girls face steeper challenges stemming from culture,
history, and social structure.
GIRLS: According to the World Bank,
“Investment in girls’ education may well be the highest-return
investment available in the developing world,” and the importance of
STEM in propelling the economy forward can’t be overstated.
So how do the barriers actually play out?
Rita,
one of YTF's
star students in Nigeria, wasn't allowed to go to school until this
year, as her parents would rather invest in their son's education.
Thirteen-year-old Margaret is influenced by her parents' thinking that
engineering makes a girl less feminine. She thinks pursuing STEM-related
subjects in school will makes her unfavorable marriage material. With 3D Africa, we’re passionately making progress to close the STEM gender gap in Africa.
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Why 3D printing?
3D modeling and manufacturing brings together all 4 components of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics):
Creation: To create 3D designs to be printed, students apply both mathematics and engineering.
Integrated Process:
The entire design and production technology is realized through
integrated, applied knowledge of scientific, engineering, and
mathematical concepts.
We believe that 3D Africa will give girls excellent exposure to STEM.
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Why jewelry & art?
New research
says girls who make things using technology develop stronger interests
and skills in computer science and engineering. (And it never hurts to
learn in a fun environment!) So we set out to mix girls into the Maker
Movement in the most fun, exciting way.
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So where does the money go?
Closing the STEM gender gap in Africa takes a lot of work! Your
tax-deductible donation will help cover everything on our list,
including:
Equipment costs (3D printers, scanners, classroom projectors)
Software, design tools & art supplies
Transportation subsidies for students and teachers
Digital cameras
Key personnel costs
Family/outreach days
Exciting news! We recently won a seed grant from WeTech, but are looking to expand the program to reach more girls.
How can I help?
We can't realize our vision without your support! Here's your chance to make a difference, in two easy ways:
FUNDS: Of course, we'd love your support through monetary contributions (All donations are tax-deductible).
SHARE
THE NEWS: But we welcome all kinds of support, and we’ll be so thankful
if you help spread the word about the campaign! Simply copy and paste
and share on your social networks:
Who are we?
Youth for Technology Foundation (YTF) has a track record in
developing and implementing innovative technology education training to
youth and women in marginalized communities. Our work has been
recognized by World Economic Forum, UN Women, World Bank, Ashoka, and
Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.
Thanks.
We're so thankful for Travis Geer, who generously donated his music for our campaign https://soundcloud.com/travis-geer
Icon made by Freepik from www.falticon.com is licensed under CC BY 3.0
