“Code Girls”, film on girl-child education screened in Abuja

“Code Girl”, a documentary film that seeks to encourage secondary school-aged girls to pursue innovative careers in Science and Technology was on Tuesday screened in Abuja.

Newsverge reports that the screening was organised by the United State Embassy in Nigeria.

The film, directed by American filmmaker Lesley Chilcott, features the story of five Nigerian girls who won the Technovation Challenge in 2015.

Technovation Challenge is an American initiative that offers girls around the world the opportunity to learn the skills they need to emerge as tech entrepreneurs and leaders.

It invites girls annually to identify a problem in their community, and then challenge them to solve it, supported by mentors and guided by a curriculum.

The new United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, who spoke at the event, said the screening was to expose young Nigerian girls to the importance of pursuing innovative careers.

“The screening is to reinforce the U.S Mission’s support for increased participation by Nigeria’s youth, especially girls, in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

“Our hope is for this film to inspire young high school girls to pursue a career in science education for them to develop applications that improve their communities,” he said.

Selected female Secondary School students from the Federal Capital and delegates from the Federal Ministry of Education were present at the screening.