Happy International Women’s Day to all the lovely, talented, spirited and hard-working women out there, who are consciously trying to break a million boundaries, only so they can dream.
At Loop, an all-girls students activities club, we believe that all women deserve opportunities to rise and shine. Over the last year and a half, we, the student coordinators, have come across the grit and determination of girls who are willing to prove they are just as good (if not better) as their male counterparts. From actively participating in the club’s activities, to giving a tough competition in global contests, these girls do it all. And we’re proud to stand behind them in support and encouragement, always pushing them to do more and to do it better.
As we reminisce about the women we’ve seen and learnt from, it’s impossible that we don’t mention the ultra-talented girls we met last year as part of a volunteering session with Teach for India.
On a sunny afternoon in March 2019, we saw two worlds collide as young, ambitious girls from Grade 7 and 8 of a school supported by Teach for India met equally ambitious girls from Team Loop. We spent the afternoon teaching them Scratch, a fun-filled way of introducing someone to programming. What we imagined would be a teaching session, turned out to be much more than that. We created stories, virtually on Scratch, but more so by listening and learning from these young students.
The enthusiasm among the children to create and learn through code was heartwarming — Divya
The children were extremely curious, eager to get their hands on the laptops, to experiment, to break barriers. Some of them wanted to create stories that a mere laptop could not support, and what we saw in these kids was an imaginative mind.
My experience was great. A few of the children already knew about scratch, and how to go about it, and asked me to teach them what’s next! I then ran a few of my codes I wrote, like tic tac toe and hangman, and they were amazed! One boy even asked me how to create a game, and said he’d go back home and start learning python! — Radhika
We had set out to inspire one, if not all, of the girls to consider pursuing further education in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). These young kids came from households where you don’t expect a dream to foster. But, when we asked them what they wished to do as they grow up, we were in for a very pleasant surprise. From budding astrophysicists, to IAS officers, doctors, teachers, scientists, and automobile engineers, dreams were growing everywhere.
At the end of the session, we came back to our own college, inspired to be like these bright minds. To be unique, to color outside of the lines, something we often forget to do.
As Loop enters it’s third year after formation, we want to thank all the volunteers, the students, the TFI coordinators and every girl who has been associated with us for making us believe in the power of united women. I, Chaitanyasuma, thank my co-coordinators Neha and Aaliyah, for being as solid as a rock, and hope that Loop continues to soar, touching more lives and inspiring more girls to have faith in their dreams.
As we look back upon that inspiring day, we’re even more confident that times are changing. Bold and upfront, a woman of today knows what she wants, and works hard for it. There are challenges, still. But there is also a community of women, always uplifting, always spirited.
We hope that more women come forward to help create dreams, to encourage, motivate and inspire. To tell their stories and to be proud of their journeys. This Woman’s Day, we celebrate the spirit of women. Women full of love and ambition.
— Chaitanyasuma Jain, on behalf of Team Loop
