On April 3, 2019, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with Connected Women, a social impact start-up that aims to provide quality virtual assistance for women entrepreneurs, conducted a seminar-workshop in Plaza Alemania Hotel, Iligan City.

The event was aptly entitled “Women and the Future of Work”, was participated in by over 150 women participants from Iligan City and Marawi City. Ten faculty and student volunteers from the College of Education, Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology were fortunate to be part of the event. The volunteers were headed by Prof. Osuardo A. Pabatang, Jr., chairperson of the Department of Technology Teacher Education.

The event highlighted the fact that empowering women is indeed a key for advancing development and reducing poverty in the country. When women are empowered, it contributes to the health and productivity of whole families and communities. It also means better prospects for the next generation. As societies are technologically advancing, women seem to find ways to go with the flow, and in their own way, become versatile as well nowadays. In today’s society, we find more and more women actively managing businesses or holding jobs that boost economic growth.

During the event, the Connected Women Team conducted activities using social media (Facebook) and asked the participants to make creative posts with their pictures using hash tags such as #SDG5 and #Balanceforbetter. Panels and speakers pointed out the importance of technology tools for women entrepreneurs in the country. For example, one speaker, Liezl Dunuan, Program Manager of Connected women emphasized in her talk on “How to Jumpstart Your Remote Work Career,” that women freelancers can use social media to market their skills. She said, “You’re not selling goods, you’re selling your services. And this is one way to start a career in remote work.”

Student volunteers appreciated the key topic of the event. One volunteer, Marry Love M. Quiapo cited that, “When you are a business-minded person, there are a lot of things you could learn such as how to manage your business in a productive way, and how to use technology tools in entrepreneurship. For example, even you’re just in your house, you can earn an income by posting your products on social media. Technology can be an aid when it comes to business because you can connect everything. It’s a nice idea that UNDP and Connected Women conducted lectures and activities to raise awareness among women entrepreneurs and those aspiring to to build their own business.” Another student volunteer, Reyna Marie Lumajang also learned that we are in the 4th Industrial Revolution, that demands high quality output to communicate or connect all over the world. As technology advances and helps our country progress, women should also improve ourselves in order to fit in this kind of modernization. This is why it important to connect and share with each other.” Both volunteers are fourth year college students of CED, MSU-IIT.

All in all, the volunteers also realized that now is the time for women to venture into the technology-enhanced entrepreneurial world. Women can showcase their talents in managing businesses in today’s modern world with the help of technology. Women-owned businesses with the help of technology are boosting economies in the countries where they are. Women can very well become technopreneur wizards.

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