Kochi Hosts Camp Gathering School Girls from 5 Countries

Kochi, June 9 (PTI) Recently, Kochi played host to a seven-day WiSci (Women in Science) camp, bringing together 100 schoolgirls from India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and the United States. The in-person WiSci South Asia STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) camp was held from June 2 to 8. This endeavor is a part of a collaborative initiative by the US government aimed at fostering gender equality and promoting STEAM education on a global scale, as highlighted by the US Consulate General Chennai in a release on Sunday.

The camp offered unique chances for leadership development, skill enrichment, mentorship, and networking across diverse STEAM disciplines, as per the announcement.
"Girl Up," a global leadership development initiative under the United Nations Foundation, spearheaded the camp in conjunction with the US.
The Department of State's Office of Global Partnerships, the US Consulate General Chennai, and Rajagiri Business School in Kochi, in collaboration with the Caterpillar Foundation, Google, TE Connectivity Foundation, and United Airlines.

The camps aim to empower adolescent girls by providing them with transferable leadership skills and training, nurturing their potential to become leaders not just in STEAM fields but across all areas, as stated.
"We strongly believe that investing in girls' education and leadership development is crucial for unlocking their full potential and advancing economic empowerment in communities globally," stated Dorothy McAuliffe, US State Department Special Representative for Global Partnerships, during the closing ceremony.

Campers had the opportunity to engage with prominent entrepreneurs, officials, policymakers, and STEAM role models, receiving career guidance aimed at fostering ongoing cross-cultural connections with girls across the region.

"STEAM serves as the crucial link between science and social impact. My objective is to enhance the lives of those around me through accessible, high-quality healthcare, and WiSci provides me with a priceless chance to merge my passion with purpose, effecting positive change in my community and beyond," expressed Lamia, one of the WiSci campers.

Since 2015, over 1,100 girls and youth allies from 34 countries have participated in successful training at WiSci STEAM Camps worldwide, leveraging their week-long experiences to ignite lifelong positive impacts globally, the statement emphasized.