TechGirls Are Tech-Social for Humanitarian Action at Islamic Relief USA

Nada Shawish is communications specialist at Islamic Relief USA.

Fatima and Khadija are scrolling through their phones, checking tweets and Facebook statuses during a short break.

“I am addicted to social media,” Fatima exclaims, her big eyes growing even bigger. She’s fifteen years old from Lebanon and she tells me that she dreams about working in digital technology someday.

The girls are visiting Islamic Relief USA headquarters as part of the job-shadowing aspect of the TechGirls exchange program. TechGirls is a 3-week, international summer exchange program hosted by the U.S. State Department that selects promising girls from the Middle East and North Africa region and empowers them to to pursue careers in science and technology.

Although they live in different countries, Fatima and Khadija have connected through the TechGirls program with the similar love they have for technology in the world.

“TechGirls is a life-changing experience,” Khadija said. “Not only is it an exchange program for girls to learn more about technology in the world, but it’s also a bridge for us.” She molds the air into a big globe with her hands, “Through TechGirls, we learn skills about technology and its power to change the world—for the better!”

Islamic Relief USA’s marketing and communications team had the opportunity to show Fatima and Khadija how technology helps IRUSA reach and connect donors, volunteers, staff and the people that IRUSA serves in the world.

In a day-long project, IRUSA marketing staff gave Khadija and Fatima the opportunity to create social media material in which they could engage IRUSA’s online audience with a question relating technology and humanitarian work.

“I’m so happy to be here at Islamic Relief USA,” Fatima said. “I’m going to miss you a lot. I’m really happy to see how you are helping solve big problems in the world with technology. It inspires me and gives me ideas about how I can be part of that.”

From writing the script, to processes of review, to recording, to design, to social media metrics and online placement, the girls went through the entire process of creating a social media video project from beginning to end in just one day.

And what’s been created is an amazing testament to what girls can do when they’re empowered in technology.

“We’re here because we have a question,” Khadija says in the social media short. “Is technology going to change the world for the better or for the worse?”

Watch what these super TechGirls made at Islamic Relief USA, and join the conversation on their favorite thing: Social media.

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s that support women and girls in the world by clicking here.