Three Albanian high-schoolers win competition over technology in California

It has been an emotional and impressive journey for these three high schoolers in Tirana who responded to the challenge of the Technovation organisation by finding solutions to a very acute problem in society where gender violence live.

From the outset we wanted to help Albanian women, and in view of the Albanian mentality, we thought to address a topic like gender-based violence, which would be the best way to come to the aid”, says 15-year-old Jonada Shukarasi.

The application built by them sums up on a very simple menu all telephone numbers that women can receive in a certain situation. A practical solution that comes with a number of advice to find solutions in delicate situations.

We live in a patriarchal society. We're out of communism and there's certainly a male dominant in society and a very backward mentality that women can't be independent and can't be educated, move forward in life, have their finances, and all of this is reflected in today's youth, even though there are many changes. We see early signs of this violence reflected in our friends' relationships today”, Says Dea troshan.

The programme has been the right drive towards technology for these girls in a society dominated by the mentality that boys are more likely to be capable of engineering.

For guys it's always been easier to get into technology. As young ones push them to computer games and girls get them out of this part because it's exactly that maskist, patriarchal mentality that will raise boys higher than girls. There's always been a wrong mentality for girls in technology or other areas like this:x1>, Says Arla Hoxha.

Despite efforts to change this tendency and encourage the younger generation towards the rightest approach to gender equality, girls say much work remains to be done.

Even in our schools we do IT and by IT teachers themselves, girls don't get that much support. Priorities are given to boys and girls set aside, side by side, thinking they won't make a career in that field later, which is not fair”, Says Jonada Shukarasi.

The experience of these girls in this program funded by large technology companies in Silicon Valley will have a powerful effect on their lives long after the end of this program.

Inspired by this victory they have gained confidence that they have the ability to solve community problems and help break gender barriers to advance Albanian society. / VOA