The Ruta STEM initiative for women, which MAKAIA has been developing since 2018, is developed from two approaches: Development of IT skills for school-age girls and adolescents (girls in technology); and strengthening of knowledge and skills in code and programming to promote the employability of women over 18 years of age in the IT sector (Geek Academy). Together, these approaches complement MAKAIA's objective of empowering girls and women to promote the identification of their life project in the IT sector.

https://makaia.org/en/portfolio/women-in-technology/

• Metropolitan area of the Aburra Valley, Colombia, Colombia

• Women
• omen, men and people with physical disabilities of the metropolitan area of ​​Valle de Aburrá.

For the first focus on girls in technology, in 2019 the initiative was replicated with 100 young people between 14 and 25 years old, in vulnerable conditions, linked to educational or social protection institutions, including young mothers. The young women belonged to PAN - foster homes; Santa Clara Home; and Fundación Juanfe. The implementation of this second version of the initiative, in light of the lessons learned, made it possible to adjust elements such as, elaboration of a diagnosis on knowledge and skills in the management of technologies, design of instruments for monitoring and evaluation, conducting an entry test that facilitates the construction of a baseline to compare with the results of the exit test and elaboration of a rubric made up of eight training components: i) device management, ii) software management, iii) communication, iv) organization of information, v) knowledge production, vi) creation and innovation, vii) critical thinking and, viii) digital citizenship. An integrated scale of four (4) levels was defined that indicate progress (Excellent, Good, Acceptable and Insufficient) and the description of knowledge, skills, abilities or lack thereof, which will allow an objective assessment of the progress of each of the participants, but also the general progress of each group allowing specific analysis and comparisons.
In this sense, the training is flexible in order to adapt to the changing demands of the IT Market, so it is constantly reviewed and evaluated. The 2019 and 2020 pilots had the purpose of testing the concept, improving it and having valuable information for the design of its expansion, minimizing risks and increasing the chances of success.

We affirm that development of ICTs provides enormous opportunities for women, who should be an integral part of, and key actors, in the Information Society. We are committed to ensuring that the Information Society enables women's empowerment and their full participation on the basis on equality in all spheres of society and in all decision-making processes. To this end, we should mainstream a gender equality perspective and use ICTs as a tool to that end.