Celebrating the Impact of Tech2Empower Malaysia 2024

In June 2024, WAKE's Tech2Empower Malaysia program embarked on a journey to champion women leading social change and promoting inclusion in STEM. Our program, built around three core pillars, made a significant impact through collaborative project work, technology and STEM workshops, and leadership development sessions.

Collaborative Project Work

The first pillar of our program involved engaging Tech Advisors in collaborative project work with women-led NGOs. Our dedicated Advisors, representing companies such as Accenture, Google, LinkedIn, and Salesforce, provided their skills and expertise to advance social justice and enhance women’s economic empowerment.

Through the Tech2Empower Impact Challenge, women-led NGOs proposed specific projects to enhance their impact. WAKE mobilized volunteer Advisors to apply their professional skills in partnership with these organizations, providing consultation, training, and skill-sharing to collaborate on impactful projects.

Impact Challenge Highlights:

• Arus Academy: Developed a comprehensive pitch strategy for their Girls Maker Club program, enhancing their advocacy for STEM education for girls.
• Penang Green Council: Improved digital strategies and website interface to broaden audience engagement on environmental issues.
• Befrienders Penang: Enhanced website traffic and outreach to support their suicide prevention hotline.
• Penang Science Cluster: Created standardized digital forms and playbooks for efficient data management to showcase their impact effectively.

“This is such a great program to empower organizations! The program is well planned, and the advisors are knowledgeable about the topics we work on. I would 100% recommend everyone to join this program!” - Nik Nurul Kamila Abu Rashid, Penang Science Cluster, Impact Challenge participant

Our Impact Challenge projects and workshops had a profound effect:

• Skills Development: 90.9% of NGO leaders strongly agreed they acquired new skills.
• Project Outcomes: 81.8% of NGO leaders strongly agreed the final deliverables would benefit their organization.
• Leadership Growth: 43.9% of participants strongly agreed the workshops contributed to their growth as leaders.

Photo caption: Cohort of Advisors and NGO leaders who participated in the Tech2Empower Malaysia Impact Challenge.

Technology and STEM Workshops for High School Girls

The second pillar focused on providing technology and STEM workshops for high school girls. In partnership with the US Embassy Kuala Lumpur, we hosted 40 young women at the Penang Science Corner for a day filled with inspiring sessions on AI ethics, data metrics, coding, and business planning.

One standout moment was the Speed Geek session, where students learned about tech careers directly from our Advisors. The keynote by Google advisor Lisa Siahaan, who was born in Malaysia, ignited a passion for STEM in these future leaders.

“I had a wonderful experience! I had a lot of fun learning and speaking to the advisors! I'm happy to have gotten an opportunity to be a part of this! That's all from me, thank you so much for this experience!” -Pooshpiitha A/P Arun, Tech2Empower Malaysia Day for Girls participant

The workshops received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students:

• 100% of students agreed or strongly agreed that they learned a new skill through the workshop.
• 100% of participants felt inspired and optimistic as a result of the workshop
• 100% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop was relevant to their career and academic planning.

Photo caption: Students sit with Advisor Lesley for STEM-centric workshops during Tech2Empower Malaysia Day for Girls.

Leadership and Tech Tools Sessions

The third pillar involved leadership and tech tools sessions for women leaders from 10 Southeast Asian countries and Nepal. In collaboration with the Harpswell ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit, 22 participants engaged in skill-building workshops and mentorship circles. These sessions aimed to develop their professional competencies and empower them on their leadership journeys.

Workshops included Google’s #IamRemarkable, personal branding, project management, and AI & ethics. Advisors and participants were matched in small mentorship groups to explore professional development topics such as women’s leadership in male-dominated spaces and professional networking.

Across all workshops, a notable percentage of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they acquired new skills and that these sessions contributed to their professional growth:

• 92.1% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they learned a new skill.
• 89.8% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they plan to implement the skills discussed.
• 92.1% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that the lessons will contribute to their growth as leaders.

"Doing #IAMRemarkable was such a transforming experience for me. Now I know that speaking about our self-promotion is a muscle we have to exercise and that it can be not only empowering, but enabling to get what we deserve. I will remember this session for a long, long time." - Leigh Ginette Fuentes, ASEAN Women’s Leadership Summit participant

Participants are welcomed to Tech2Empower Malaysia Day for Women's Leadership in collaboration with Harpswell.

We are immensely proud of the accomplishments and connections made during Tech2Empower Malaysia. The dedication of our Advisors, partners, and participants has left us inspired and energized for the future. WAKE appreciates the valuable contributions of its partners in Penang, including The U.S. Embassy in Malaysia, Harpswell, The Penang Institute, and the American Tech Corner @ Penang Science Cluster, who all played key roles in the success of this program. You can read the complete impact report linked on our website here.

Together, we continue to champion cross-cultural collaboration and drive meaningful change in our communities and beyond.

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