Binance, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and blockchain ecosystem, partnered with the Women in Technology Association (Wtech) to bring the Binance Women in Technology Academy to Hatay, Turkey. The program equips young women in earthquake-affected areas with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive in the Web3 space.
Held in Antakya on March 26-27, the program offers intensive training sessions on financial literacy, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, NFTs, cybersecurity, and more. 80 female university students participate and receive certificates upon completion.
Launched in January 2024, the Binance Women in Technology Academy fights for long-term change. It aims to close the gender gap in crypto, blockchain, and Web3. This project specifically targets Hatay to support the region’s recovery and empower women after the February 6th earthquake.
The Binance Women in Technology Academy recently celebrated its first graduating cohort at a special ceremony. The collaboration between Binance and Wtech goes beyond introducing young women to technology. It empowers them to become leaders in their careers and society.
The project aims to be a milestone in increasing the presence of women in the fields of crypto, blockchain, and Web 3.0. By addressing gender inequality in the industry the academy aspires to enhance the region’s technological and economic power.
Speaking at the certificate ceremony held as part of the educational series, Mücahit Dönmez, General Manager of Binance Turkey, emphasized that following the February 6th earthquake, the region has become a priority for Binance.
Dönmez stated, “As Binance TR, we have taken important steps to show our support for earthquake victims. Binance donated $100 worth of BNB to each of its users in the earthquake-affected areas of Turkey. Additionally, donations collected through Binance Charity were sent to the Turkish Red Crescent to support earthquake victims, and steel houses were built through our donation to AHBAP and opened for use as schools.”
Therefore, Hatay is a valuable location for the Binance Women in Technology Academy program, embracing the innovative spirit that defines Binance’s mission, and laying the foundations for change and development in the city.
While emphasizing that Turkey is not only a country with a crypto adoption rate of around 40% but also one of the most exciting centers globally in terms of excitement for crypto and new technologies felt throughout the country. Dönmez highlighted, “Although there has been a positive global trend in gender equality in the crypto sector in recent years, unfortunately, there is still inequality in both technology and crypto fields.
He revealed as Binance, “We have taken on an important role in shaping the future of the industry and are committed to promoting equality and diversity both in our company and across the entire sector. Education is one of the most important elements of our mission to increase financial freedom and achieve gender equality in our industry.
Dönmez further added since our inception, through Binance Academy and Binance Charity, we have provided thousands of individuals with free education opportunities, and we continue to do so. However, our mission goes beyond education, and we aim to empower our students to shape the future by giving them courage.
With this initiative, Binance aims to create a future where women are not just participants but leaders in the workplace, where their voices are celebrated, and their potential knows no bounds. We aim to lay the foundations for a future where gender equality is achieved not only in our industry but in all sectors and society.
Zehra Öney, Founding Chair of the Women in Technology Association, partner of the Binance Women in Technology Academy, commented on the program: “As the Women in Technology Association, our main goal has always been to train expert and competent individuals in the field of technology and to carry out focused efforts to increase the number of women in the workplace, production processes, and entrepreneurship.
After the earthquake that deeply saddened all of us, Wtech carried out very strong and focused disaster relief efforts in Hatay. Therefore, after awarding certificates to the first 50 graduates of the Academy and preparing them for employment, Wtech turned direction toward the earthquake zone and offered this program to 80 university student girls in Hatay.
Fortunately, there was a very high interest in the program. After the training, by inviting young girls here, Wtech made a good start to train strong qualified women leaders who will fill this gap in Turkey and beyond.
Harika Eldoğan, Marketing Director of Binance in Turkey, who stated that they had conducted the pilot trainings of the program, announced for the first time at the Binance Blockchain Week held in November and awarded certificates to 50 female participants with the graduation ceremony held recently, emphasized their goal of providing education to 5,000 women in 5 years.
She said, “We are working to expand the ecosystem in Turkey. Especially for us, it is very important to include young people and women in this ecosystem. We support women in evaluating new opportunities in their journey towards financial freedom and supporting their development in these areas. Crypto assets, Web 3.0, and Blockchain offer a wide world where not only programmers or investors but also women operating in fields such as finance, marketing, analysis, and strategy can play a role.”
Harika added as Binance Turkey, we are conducting many different studies to increase awareness of crypto assets and blockchain technology in our country. We organize training programs, seminars, and conferences. Additionally, we invest in local initiatives and projects. We carry out special projects to contribute to the development of our women and to increase financial literacy.
In today’s world, where technology is rapidly advancing and affecting many areas, new technologies such as blockchain and crypto assets are transforming financial markets. Although these are new and promising fields, there is a noticeable gender imbalance in these areas. Therefore, Binance has taken action to address this imbalance with the Women in Technology Academy. Binance wants to ensure that all women benefit equally from the opportunities offered by technology and to increase the number of female leaders in this field.”
Eldoğan, emphasizing the importance and value of women’s participation in ensuring the economic and social development of the earthquake zone, said that they had moved the Binance Women in Technology Academy to Hatay for this reason.
She stated that the Binance Women in Technology Academy is not just an education program but also an initiative to create a community. She said, “Through this program, women working in different fields can come together, connect with each other, and share knowledge and experiences.”
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