KARACHI - The US Consulate General, Karachi, in partnership with The Asia Foundation and the National Incubation Centre, Karachi (NICK), hosted the second edition of Built by Her, a two-day virtual hackathon for female entrepreneurs and programmers from October 15 to October 17, 2021. The purpose of ‘Built by Her 2021’ was to identify innovative solutions to challenges relating to themes of women’s economic inclusion, accessibility to education, climate change and tourism. 866 people from 31 cities across Sindh and Balochistan participated in the event.
Mark Stroh, the United States Consul General in Karachi, Haris Qayyum Khan, Senior Advisor at The Asia Foundation, and Omar Abedin, Director at the National Incubation Centre, Karachi, welcomed the participants at the programme’s launch event and reiterated the importance of encouraging women to participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and the country’s ever-growing startup ecosystem to help unlock Pakistan’s economic potential.
As Consul General Stroh explained: “The United States is committed to empowering women, promoting gender equality, and supporting innovation through great initiatives like Built by Her. We have organised and supported programmes this year like the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs, Qadam Barhao, and She Loves Tech. We know that programmes like these develop skills and foster networks to enhance your economic opportunities.”
NICK Director Omar Abedin expressed his delight at the launch of the hackathon: “The first iteration of Built by Her helped us grow the startup ecosystem by making it accessible to young innovative women from across Pakistan. This time around we are excited to see what Sindh and Balochistan bring to the table.”
The Built by Her hackathon programme is just one of many programmes the US Consulate General, Karachi sponsors to foster sustainable and inclusive economic growth and to empower Pakistani women and girls.
