According to a report published by UNESCO in 2019, girls lose interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines during their teenage years. By the age of 15, only 0.5% of women worldwide want to become professionals in the field of Science and Technology, compared to 5% of men (OECD, 2018). This lack of interest affects their extracurricular choices and experiences in school.

As the largest technology company in Latin America, we have taken on the challenge of reducing this gap. To achieve this, we launched the Conectadas program in 2021, a regional initiative to bring Latin American girls closer to technology and form a network of young women who are aware of the transformative potential of technology and of themselves.

We have partnered with Chicas en Tecnología, an Argentinean organization that promotes the development of technology that contributes to gender equity, and {reprograma}, a Brazilian social impact initiative that teaches programming to women.

Online and free, the program requires no previous tech skills and offers digital immersion. It is inspired by the processes used by IT teams in the real world: identify a need, conduct research, design a solution and develop a prototype to be tested and improved. To better grasp the meaning of key concepts, the girls are invited to think about the problems that surround them, and imagine relevant digital solutions, always taking into account the end users, data and dissemination.

With the mentoring of a facilitator, projects are developed in teams with participants from different countries. Activities include panels, workshops, and lectures, as well as interaction with peers from various regions to ask questions and exchange experiences. Throughout the sessions, the young women have access to demos and interact with professional women who work at Mercado Libre as well as leaders in technology, experts, and leaders in different areas.

Among the main contents covered are:

• Digital transformation, economy 4.0, and sustainability.
• Data and UX research.
• Digital project and business development.
• Digital marketing and communication.

Do you self-identify as the female gender? Are you 14-18 years old? Do you want to change the world? If you answered yes to all these questions, then come and join Conectadas! Please check the program details and stay tuned to receive information about new admission seasons. Download the PDF summarizing the program details. Please also check the terms and conditions to participate.