Technovation is a global tech entrepreneurship education program that wants to increase the number of girls in technology and entrepreneur. Also, students in Liger specialist, girls have the opportunity to involve in this program. The first year, there are 25 students from Liger enjoyed with this program I also a member too. We studied Technovation at CKC. There were many girls from different schools. For the first day, all the students went to there classes, get to know each other, and our coaches. Every team had to choose a topic, find problems, solutions and would create an app that can solve those problems. There are six themes: Poverty, Health, Environment, Peace, Education, and Equality. It was really hard to think of ideas to create an app that can solve problems and help people. I and my team have been discussing for many hours, so we had decided to choose poverty theme. We wanted to choose this theme because as you know Cambodia also has Khmer traditional products created by Cambodian, but now a day it doesn’t really popular, so when fewer people buy products made in Cambodia the people who made products or craftspeople would have low income. We wanna to create an app that could find markets for craft people and customers to buy Khmer traditional products. Moreover, we aim to increase more employment for Cambodia. The app is called “ Cambodia Identity Product”. Besides, on every team finish with their plan our mentors taught us about writing code and business plan. Furthermore, we had to make pitch and demo video for a summit to Technovation program. We spend 12 weeks to complete and submit our app. We also had to prepare a presentation for mini pitch competition.
On April was a due date to complete all of the works and show their product to judges in mini pitch. My team was excited and kind of a little bit nervous because it was nearly time for us to stand on stage to present our app to in front of many people. Tek! Tek! Tek! was time for me to share our ideas and my heart also ran faster like a marathon competition.
A long time for did a presentation and listening to another team’s answer questions from judges. Now, it was time to know our result. There would be three teams that selected to national pitch. After announcements, we knew which teams selected to national pitch, but my team couldn’t pass to the next step. We were so proud of our self that we could complete it at the time and we have a good collaboration and communication. There were three teams from Liger school that selected to the national pitch, we were happy and cheerful to all of our friends that they have been selected. Two to three weeks letter was time for teams from juniors and seniors chosen to present again. All teams couldn’t be chosen also have the chance to be audiences. It was incredible that a team from Liger win a first place congratulation!!!.
Technovation program didn’t end in this two competitions and teams who fall have more refreshment because judges of Technovation program looked again for every team’s app that they have been the summit and there were many teams from different countries. They would select teams again from different countries to global pitch in the United States. One surprising thing that my team met is we got an email from Technovation team send to us there were many teams from different countries and my group pass for the semi-final. There were two teams that pass for semi-final are seniors and my team. I was really excited and it couldn’t believe it. My teammates were smiling like emoji if we could pass this time we would go to presentation our app in the United States. At night time I called to my parents to told them about this result they were very enthusiastic to me. On June/ 09/ 2017 was sheraton day at my school and at three o’clock every Friday had an assembly. Mr. Dom is director of Liger school he asked us about a Sheration day. Then he said, “ We had about the guest from USAID his name’s Lyder is a teacher at Technovation he had special announcements for Technovation”. When teacher Lyder announcement the result everyone was waiting, specially Technovation girls. He said “ there is a team from Liger school that select to Global finalist is team name…..Cambodia Identity Product. They would share their idea in the United States at San Francisco.” When I hear my result it was amazing that my team selected to global finalist and have a chance go to the United States.
In August Technovation global have to start and a warm welcome to all teams come from different countries. My team was happy and waiting for sharing our idea at the global. Cambodia Identity product team wasn’t in the first place, we still proud of our group because we tried hard out of our attitude, one thing that I really appreciate to my team was collaboration this is the important skill that we can’t live without. That’s why we could get success, however, we didn’t get the first place, but we still smiling to have chance flew a long way outside of the country to share our app and hole Cambodia flag to show the world that Cambodian are strong and have the attitude to vies. Moreover, when I visited the United States there is so beautiful, I really excited that have the chance to visited the developing country and see how amazing they are. It can be the lesson to teach how could I help my country to make it better.
Technovation is a good program can promote a number of girls to know about technology and how important it is. For me, After involved in this program I learn so many things such as work as a team, trying to solve problems, presentation, creativity, and we also got to know new friends that I never forgot.