Although She Loves Tech Cambodia 2020 is all wrapped up, our mission to celebrate women in technology is far from over. Team Raintree connects with three wonderwomen in our community, who have not only lent their skills to support the She Loves Tech Cambodia programme, but also whose work and ambitions have kept us inspired and hopeful for what’s to come. We asked Voneat Pen, Sophea Prum and Kounila Keo how they got into technology, what they’ve been up to and the most inspiring idea the saw in 2020.
ជួបវនាត @ Raintree
Voneat is a software engineer and an avid advocate for tech education for young girls. She’s worked with Team Raintree on numerous projects, including our edtech programmes such as Coding Cats and Tiny Coding Cats. With a passion for education and inclusion, she’s been leading the Cambodia’s edition of the world’s largest tech entrepreneurship programme for young women, Technovation, since 2018. Over 1600+ young Cambodian girls aged 10 to 18 years old have been introduced to the programme. Applications for Technovation Cambodia 2021 are now open until 31 December 2020 (for more info visit their Facebook page >> HERE).
What inspired you to get into technology and what are you currently working on?
Growing up, I never thought I’d be working in tech. There’s no magic reason why - it was just that I had so little knowledge about the industry, so naturally I couldn’t see myself working in it. But all this changed when I had my first computer class in high school. That one typing class got me fascinated by what technology could do (‘How does a piece of plastic know I pressed on the letter A?!’), and I was definitely curious to learn more. Now, I’m working on my startup called 606 Digital, which offers technology solutions to businesses, in addition to being the Regional Ambassador of Technovation Cambodia, a programme that equips young girls with skills such as coding and entrepreneurial thinking.
What was the most inspiring idea you saw from 2020?
So much has happened this year. I know that for many of us, because of uncertainty and unusual activities looming this year, it’s difficult to even wrap our head around - let alone be inspired. Although I can’t pick one thing, I’ve been inspired by the sense of strength and solidarity that has shone through as our communities fight the same battle amidst this pandemic.
What are you looking forward to in 2021?
I am so excited to see how Technovation Cambodia 2021 will pan out as it’s going fully virtual for the first time! We hope this will make the opportunity even more accessible to young girls across the country, especially to those in the provinces who may not have been able to join us in the years prior because of logistical or geographical reasons.
ជួបសុភា @ Raintree
Sophea Prum is the first Cambodian woman to hold a PhD in Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. The recently crowned winner of the Cambodia ICT Engineer Award 2020 joined us this year as one of the She Loves Tech Cambodia mentors to some of the country’s most promising tech startups, including Smart Farm Assistance who was the #1 winner of the local edition.
How did you get into technology and what are you working on?
Because I grew up in the province with lack of access to information, I didn’t have much visibility into the university options available to me. If I remember correctly, the options were - language, engineering or med school. As somebody who’s keen to learn and to take on challenges and as a problem-solver, I was determined to get into Techno (Institute of Technology of Cambodia) because it’s famously hard to get into. That’s how I got started in science. I’m currently focusing my energy on my tech startup, Elite Vigour, that designs AI-driven solutions for enterprises. Our vision is to become an elite tech company that will transform traditional industry to smart Industry. More news on this soon!
Surprise us - what’s one unexpected way you’ve used artificial intelligence to solve a problem that has nothing to do with the traditional application?
You know how cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in women in Malaysia? To prevent this, women aged between 25-65 years old are advised to look after themselves by regularly getting tested. The process of studying samples typically requires that a lab technician review them manually, which opens up the potential of human error. So when I was working as a researcher in Malaysia, one of the projects I worked on was creating an AI-driven solution that helps technicians detect cancerous cells more accurately using machine learning.
What was the most inspiring idea you saw from 2020?
For me, it was impressive to see how people and organisations across all sectors use technology to pivot in response to the challenges caused by COVID-19. For sure, not all operations can go digital, but for many of us we’ve been able to resume some aspect of our ways of working and connect with our colleagues and partners from home. This couldn’t have been possible a century ago. We can say that technology has become the problem-solving kernel of every industry we can name. In this digital era, no business or industry can grow without being boosted by technology.
What’s your #1 learning after having been in this industry for over 10 years? There is so much more we could do if we could bridge the gap between technology and business. To fully realise the potential of technology, business leaders need to have an understanding of what technology can do. Conversely, to create and apply technology meaningfully, technologists need to have an understanding of what are the pain points of businesses and people.
ជួបគូនីឡា @ Raintree
Kounila is deeply intrigued by the bursting energy of Cambodia's tech and startup scene. A journalist by trade, she’s worked with Viber, Nokia Cambodia, Line App among other leading tech companies. She’s currently heading the Indochina regional operations of Mekhala Radiant Communications, and most recently, spearheaded one of the most successful digital campaigns called Loy9.
What inspires you most about working in the technology sector?
The sector is fast-paced and ever-growing. Every minute, every second of the day, there is always something changing - and I love that. On a personal level, it’s simply fun and exciting to observe how technology changes and transforms over time. Beyond that, for me as a journalist and entrepreneur that’s working to drive communications and campaigns for various organisations, technology is a vehicle that helps me to bring the stories we’ve crafted to the world, and change conversations.
What was the most inspiring idea you saw from 2020?
The ‘coffee banking’ concept introduced by Socials Coffee. Essentially, Socials Coffee is a coffeehouse that employs deaf people in their efforts to provide employment opportunities for people with hearing disabilities. In collaboration with PPCBank, the cafe sits tightly at the lobby of the bank. I thought that idea is brilliant because it adds value to everyone involved - to the founder of Socials Coffee who’s witnessing his mission coming to life, the deaf community in Cambodia that now can participate in the economy, and of course customers of the bank who enjoy delicious drinks!
Any exciting actions or activities from you we should keep an eye on?
Always! More news on this out soon in 2021, but here’s a quick teaser. Think about this - women who are employed at registered companies get their paid maternity leaves after their delivery, but say I’m a waitress who works at a typical eatery, what do I do? With our client, we’re currently dreaming up a social campaign that will be activated in Vietnam, Laos and of course Cambodia. The project aspires to promote more inclusive and equitable social protection for marginalised workers. It’s going to be very exciting...
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As Cambodia’s burgeoning tech industry continues to develop, we’re so glad to see more and more women take an active role in the movement. Not only does their representation correspond to our priority for diversity, but more importantly their work also aligns with our mission to catalyse the economic and social impact in the Kingdom. We know there’s still so much more to do, so if you’re interested in collaborating with us or anyone in our community, get in touch with us at hello@raintreecambodia.com to get the conversation started. In the meantime, follow us on Facebook and Instagram to stay updated on the latest happenings at our project.