Sure you are glad to hear some good news today. This one also has its one victory dance you don’t want to miss.
Three Nigerian-Irish teenagers from Drogheda, Ireland won this year’s Technovation Girls Challenge. The team created a Memory Haven (dementia app) that aims to help people affected with problems related to dementia.
Technovation Girls is a non-profit global tech organization that incentivizes young women (10-18 years old ) to become leaders and entrepreneurs within the tech industry. They challenged girls all over the world to develop (code) an app that addresses real problems within their communities. They work together in teams with the support of volunteer mentors. (1)
Women in Tech
You will not be surprised to know that only 28% of women take part in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math ) workforce. For decades the lack of women joining the STEM fields had been attributed to factors like cognitive gender differences. Thought recent studies have shown that is not such a thing as “smarter sex” when testing boys’ and girls’ performance in math. The result is none or very little academic encouragement for young girls to peruse careers within the STEM areas. (2)
When it comes to the technology sector the number of women elements is not any better. Only 25% of GAFAM (Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft) are women. And the few women that make it had to deal with a “bro-culture” work environment. Women in this predominant male work atmosphere had expressed feeling excluded, uncomfortable, and unsafe.
The Derangement Of The Mind
Dementia is a major neurocognitive disorder that causes abnormal brain changes.
These changes diminish cognitive abilities and memory that interfere with daily life and individual autonomy.
Only in the United States are 5.7 million people afflicted with dementia. From those 60%-70% are Alzheimer’s dementia. Projections are not encouraging, an estimate of 13.9 million adults over 65 are expected to suffer from dementia by 2060. (3)
Dementia App
The dementia app developed by Joy Njekwe (17), Rachael Akano(15), and Margaret Akano (17) can be used by patients and caregivers.
The Memory Haven dementia app focuses on six tailor solutions for the three main obstacles that dementia patients experience. Speech impairment, loss of memory, and a diminished capacity for recognition.
These features are music playlist, face and voice recognition, photo albums, outreach, reminders, and memory games. The dementia app users have access to a photo wallet where they can tag pictures of important people in their lives to remember. They can also set medication/appointment reminders. Play fun games to stimulate memory. (4)
Haters going to Hate
This brilliant young girl’s team victory was momentarily overcast by a few showers of comments from some individuals saying that they were not “real Irish“ and they did not deserve to represent Ireland. They went as far as placing a monkey face in one of the girls’ pictures. This wave of prejudice over this girl’s achievement is saddening.
Fortunately, the girls were able to overcome those mean intentioned comments. They are proud of their accomplishment and looking forward to a bright future within the tech industry. Yes, they can!
