Doers at the heart of Global Shapers Chisinau Hub
Annual Report 2017–2018
The Global Shapers Community as a network of young people driving dialogue, action and change, we believe the core relies in the selfless efforts and passion that every member has towards creating a fulfilling environment having others in mind.
Shapers are the heart of any Hub, and despite the common activities developed by each entity with guidance and support from the World Economic Forum in terms of connectivity, inspiration, resources and network, individuals are still the core of any act of service and activity with the society in mind.
This year (term 2017–2018) inside the Global Shapers Chisinau Hub as a growing entity in a saturated civic society market, the focus was to define the values and differentiation of being a shaper in this city, taking lines where we could as initiative group blend our backgrounds expertise and contribute in a meaningful way to the pressing issues here that can be actionable.
The starter team formed by individuals working in Tech, Startups & Entrepreneurship, Civic Participation and Economic Growth and Development, interconnected their contacts and knowledge to enlarge the impact that each of them was taking actions already.
Being a support body for the activities the fellow shapers were implementing, we got to get a broader idea in which areas we had to work together, and with the future members of the organization.
While technology is one of the main topics discussed while talking about progress, there are other issues that come as basic for the well-living of the population in Moldova, such as Economic Growth, Employability Skills, and Health.
Society as the core of Shaper’s Jobs.
While several of Chisinau Hub members work in the Civic Society Sector, we matched the corporate sector members to support the following activities lead by our members.
OPEN SOURCE TECHNOLOGIES SKILS BUILDING.
Led by Anya Abchiche
Involved in the development and educational support of the startups in the CEE region. Anya leads the Drupal Moldova Association, engaging with other open source technologies to create educational cycles for the professionalization of the skills of employees in Moldova. The community has been linked with the international technologies associations, making the collaboration and learning be expanded and ensuring the local communities are aware of the requirements in this global fast pace. The Association has partnered with the most active tech professionals communities, in order to build the skills highly demanded by the IT employers.
Between the activities made, are remarked:
2 technical conferences
4 technical trainings and programming languages schools
1 Health Tech Hackathon
6 Tech events
26 meetups
All events were organized around the most sought and demanded topics, such as Product Management, Silicon Valley Mindset, Quality Assurance, trends and recent updates in the technology platforms, entrepreneurship opportunities, use of digital technology for improved effectiveness of other sectors (i.e. medical), connection of professionals with IT employers, amongst others.
The total of beneficiaries with these activities were near 2,000 people.
LOCAL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND AID
Led by Vikram Jotwani
Vikram is responsible for developing a strategic partnership with external organizations such as university relations, coworking spaces, business associations to drive growth through innovation and to build business relations.
He is also responsible to support hub through origination and project development, including developing bidding strategy and delivery by Cooperating with IFIs and donor institutions (incl. European Commission, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, European Investment Bank, World Bank, United Nations etc.) in Central & Eastern Europe and Eurasia.
Vikram is responsible to collaborate across functions and silos to deliver an effective content marketing strategy and editorial plan for the hub, as well has developed programs and platforms to advice local business to thrive and succeed by helping them build strong organizational & strategic development models.
Local business and industries such as agriculture, tech and exploring startup ecosystems were benefited by the above-mentioned programs.
CHILDREN IN TECH
Led by Roman Gluck
Coder Dojo Project
CoderDojo is a global initiative that focuses on providing free education in programming and computer science for young minds. The concept is that the clubs are free for children to attend, the mentors teach computer science and programming for free, the location is provided for free by partners and children bring their own laptops. The project initially started in Ireland and since then has spread in hundreds of cities and currently is counting 1915 clubs all around the world. First CoderDojo in Moldova was initiated by YOPESO IT company (currently Ellation), after that the initiative has spread and supported by Chemonics and USAID Development program. Now counting 6 clubs for teenages learning computer science.
Fertile Soil Project
A team of students from the United States created an educational project for teenagers located in rural areas of Moldova that gave them the opportunity to learn from various mentors about: Personal Development, Professional Development, Public Speaking, Digital Competence and Civic Engagement. The workshop took place in 3 cities: Balti, Tohatin, Causeni. Multiple mentors contributed to the project with their knowledge and expertise. After a the workshop phase was conducted, the most active participants of the program were invited for a 2 day conference where they developed several project ideas that they will implement in their hometowns. Totally more than 60 teenagers active in their towns benefited from the program, and 3 projects were initiated by the participants.
Future Classroom Project
From 22 to 25 August 2018 in Chisinau was organized a conference for teachers that included multiple workshops for teachers from schools that improved their skills in using the newest opportunities and instruments. The conference was conducted under the Future Classroom Project that is currently being implemented in the Republic of Moldova to bring the newest teaching techniques and equipment to improve the way children learn in school.
MUSIC IN HOSPITALS
Led by Rosaura Sanchez
As a small initiative, we gathered some artists, singers and musicians willing to dedicate one day for visiting hospitals to perform for patients and workers from the hospitals, the majority of people were +60 years old, being patients for long periods and with no often visitors due to location of the place or house holding of the patients. Around 50 elders were benefited.
MOLDOVA WOMEN AND GIRLS ACCESS IN AND THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Led by Abayomi Ogundipe
GirlsGoIT was established in March 2015 and they have established girls-led local clubs in 13 regions in Moldova. The project aims to prepare girls for STEM studies and while they are at studies, prepare them for ICT labour market through internship with ICT companies.TEKEDU is the founding partner of GirlsGoIT program, implemented jointly to support Moldova’s National Agende on Gender Equality, Quality Education and support Decent Jobs and Employment for Women and Girls to lead Moldova ICT labour Market.
This year it developed an action plan with the Labour Market Support Program for Women and Girls access in ICT sector and the Labour Market through education, mentoring, leadership and role-modelling, competency acquisition oriented to the market demands, guided career orientation for employment and full benefits for women and girls’ economic empowerment.
The four-year plan, which was developed in 2016 jointly with 35 will implement 4E strategy (Education, Entrepreneurship, Employment and Equality) for women and girls access in and through technology.
YOUTH PARTICIPATION AND OUTREACH
Led by Daniel Cojocari
Coordinating the Program of U-Report from UNICEF, gathered approx. 2,500 young people across the country, in an online platform where youngsters can take the lead to coordinate actions in their local environments, from schools, neighborhoods and cities. U-Report serve as a double channel to know the voice of youth through questionnaires made by a steering committee and to collect individual messages that might be pressing issues for their local places.
Global Shapers Chisinau Hub maintains its positivity in the small actions created by a small group of people, and we invite others who are interested and want to contribute in any of these of other way for a better society to join the Global Shapers Community, together the weight is distributed and our actions can have a bigger reach.
If you are from Chisinau, Moldova and want to join to shape our community please write to: globalshaperchisinau@gmail.com
We remain open to new challenges and to showcase more of the good part of the coin.
Good news are also news.
