Hassan Maishera
Binance, the world's leading blockchain ecosystem and cryptocurrency service provider by trading volume, partnered with the Women in Technology Association (Wtech) to launch the Binance Women in Technology Academy.
In a press release shared with Cryptowisser, Binance said it launched this initiative thanks to its mission to promote equal opportunities in the technology sector and increase women's financial literacy levels.
By launching its educational programs to Hatay, the academy reached young female university students living in earthquake-affected areas. The program, which took place in the Antakya district of Hatay on March 26-27, 2024, provided carefully designed training sessions on financial literacy, blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, NFTs, cybersecurity, and more to equip female participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the Web3 world. At the end of the program, certificates were presented to the 80 participants.
The Binance Women in Technology Academy was launched earlier this year and recently graduated its first cohort through a graduation ceremony. The partnership with Wtech will introduce young women to the world of technology and provide them with opportunities to lead not only in their individual careers but also in society.
The project seeks to be crucial in increasing the presence of women in the fields of crypto, blockchain, and Web 3.0, addressing gender inequality in the industry while aiming to enhance the region’s technological and economic power.
While speaking at the certificate ceremony held as part of the educational series, Mücahit Dönmez, General Manager of Binance Turkey, Binance has paid special attention to the region since the February 6th earthquake. He added that,
"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."
Dönmez also pointed out that Turkey remains one of the countries with the highest level of crypto adoption. He said,
"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. 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. 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. We aim 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, and partner of the Binance Women in Technology Academy, also commented on the program, stating that,
"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, we 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, we turned our direction towards 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 our young girls here, we made a good start to training strong qualified women leaders who will fill this gap in Turkey and beyond."
Harika Eldoğan, Marketing Director of Binance in Turkey, revealed that they had conducted the pilot training of the program and now have a 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. 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 noticeable gender imbalance in these areas. Therefore, as Binance, we have taken action to address this imbalance with the Women in Technology Academy. Our goal is 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 pointed out that women need to participate in emerging technologies to ensure the economic and social development of the earthquake zone and it is one of the reasons why they had moved the Binance Women in Technology Academy to Hatay
She added that the Binance Women in Technology Academy is not just an education program but also an initiative to create a community. Through the program, women working in different fields can come together, connect with each other, and share knowledge and experiences, she concluded.
