We want to promote successful stories in businesses that lead to diverse and balanced leadership. At our regular MembersGetTogether events our members and invitees share their success stories openly, honestly and with the goal to inspire anybody who needs a helping hand on the journey of achieving own maximum potential.
OUR PROJECT EQUAL (DIGITAL) OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL CONTINUES IN 2021
In the week of January 18, 2021, we will continue with education on digital literacy for 63 new participants – children from large families to whom we alreday donated 30 computers for online learning within the project “Equal (digital) opportunities for all”. The project scope is to enable primary school children in Croatia to have the same (digital) chances for school and life success.
Our aim is to help reduce the digital divide among children who do not have adequate access to computer equipment and the Internet, thus providing them with equal opportunities to acquire digital skills as a prerequisite for successful schooling, work and life in general.
Also, for 39 children from the families of members of Association 3 Obitelji, the education is entering the 7th week.
The feedback from children and parents on the education is positive and proofs that project tackles challenges families encounter in these ever changing times.
We would like to share with you some testimonials from the children participating in the education.
Kiara (6 years old) pointed out that she designed and programmed her own game in just two sessions and said: I really like this computer science. Everything has been interesting to me so far. I liked when we were working on moving the figurines and I’m already playing my game with my sisters a lot. Apart from the game, it was very interesting for me to make a poster. I also like to send smileys to my friends in chat.
Benjamin (7 years old) shared his impressions: I really like learning via laptop and for the first time I used a mouse that way. I had a great time working on a sign for my BenAuto, I was thrilled to create a logo for my company.
Benjamin (12.5 years old) told us: I liked the Algebra Workshop because I met many other children and because it’s fun. Everything I have learned so far at the workshop will help me in my future schooling and around some projects. I also liked how the teacher runs the workshops, because she organizes the time very well.
Parents also do not hide their satisfaction with the education in which children design their own company, for which they create all the necessary content. They acquire knowledge in programming, graphic and web design, and are engaged in making animations. They learn about the topic of “Internet Security”, and as small directors of their own company, they gather information, create the visual identity of their company and launch a marketing campaign. Depending on age, children use tools with varying degrees of complexity.
Assoiciation Obitelji3plus dad Krunoslav shared with us his opininon on education: After the experience of working with Algebra, Benjamin’s satisfaction, acquired knowledge and enthusiasm for working in several programs, I think that the program has really hit the mark. Being grateful to those who made the program possible, I absolutely recommend it to other people.
We are also proud of the corporate partners Wiener osiguranje d.d., Kraš d.d., Avola Solutions d.o.o. and Diverto d.o.o. who financially supported this project, Infobip who donated devices and Algebra for partnering in creation and provision of education.
Get involved in this initiative and with your donation help eliminate digital divisions among children and provide everyone with the same (digital) opportunities for success! Contact us at:info@pwn.hr.
PWMN Zagreb´s social responsibility project in cooperation with Obitelji 3plus association
EQUAL (DIGITAL) OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL
Digitalization is great, but it doesn’t open up the same opportunities for everyone
The situation with the Coronavirus pandemic faster than anything else has prompted the process of digitization in all parts of Croatian society, as well as the accelerated learning and acquisition of new skills necessary for the successful use of new technological solutions and digital platforms.
Online classes enabled the continuation of education and saved the previous school year both in epidemic conditions and the strictest restrictions on work and movement. At the same time, however, it also pointed to a neglected and under-recognized digital divide among children.
Research conducted both in the world and in Croatia warns that young people who are growing up in poverty and who are facing economic difficulties can have problems in learning, with school success and school involvement.
Access to digital technologies, content and skills
becomes a new dividing line among children
Among the obstacles to better success in school cited by young people in this group are the unavailability of the internet and computers.
Not all children attended online classes from their own rooms, with super-fast internet and a computer. Unfortunately, the reality is that, for example, Trkulja family schoolchildren from the vicinity of Petrinja, where a total of six children followed classes remotely through their mother’s broken cell phone.
We embark on an action to erase the digital divide among children
PWMN Zagreb as an association founded with the aim of advocating and encouraging full gender equality in working environments, believes deeply in equality of opportunities for all, in all areas of life.
That is why we want to actively work to close digital divisions among children and young people. We want all children in Croatia to have the same (digital) chances for school and life success.
Together with our corporate partners and successful companies operating in Croatia, we wish to provide every child who attends primary school, providing him with the necessary technical equipment and digital skills, equal opportunities for success in schooling and professional career, as well as in life in general.
Both children whose parents have lower or low incomes, and are beneficiaries of social assistance, as well as those in institutional care, should have the same digital chance as their peers living in better conditions.
Step 1 – procurement of equipment and education for Obitelji 3plus Association
Our action begins with Obitelji 3plus Association / www.obitelji3plus.hr
According to a survey conducted by this Obitelji 3plus Association in 2020, covering 2300 families across the country,:
• 12% of Croatian families do not have adequate equipment (computers, TV) in the household to monitor online classes;.
• For families with more than three children, this percentage is even higher at 18%;
• Almost 40% of such families are concerned about their children’s long-term perspective in the context of online teaching.
For the purposes pointed out by this research, we are raising €30,000 (225,000 HRK) to acquire 50 laptops and internet sticks, and digital skills education for 150 children from families with three or more children.
The partner of the project in the implementation of educations on-line program of digital literacy for elementary school children is Algebra, which has reduced and adapted the prices of its successful workshops for this project.
We are also proud of our corporate partners Wiener osiguranje and Kraš who financially supported this project, thus enabling supporting the first phase of the digital literacy education project for children starting on Monday 09.11.2020. for 39 children.
Education will last 12 weeks (1 x per week for 90 minutes) and our intention is to continue with the second phase immediately after completing this education and include as many children as possible.
Join us!
Your donation will help close digital divisions among children
and give
everyone the same (digital) opportunities to succeed.
Contact:
Marijana Šarolić Robić,
President of PWMN Zagreb
Mob: 091 57 222 96
E-mail: marijana.sarolic@msrlegal.hr
What a thrill it was to welcome our Hajdi on our Members Get Together event last evening. It was great to hear about her career and life path as well as her future endeavours. As she describes herself, Hajdi Cenan is a non-tech person in the tech world, life-long learner, travel & wine lover, believer in benefits of equality, and hater of writing short bios. In her previous life, she was the Executive Marketing Director and Director of tourism publishing in Europapress holding (now Hanza Media), COO of DRAP, the most-awarded digital marketing/tech/innovation agency in Croatia, and part of two startups. Currently, she is the co-founder of her newest venture, an AI startup airt.
Thank you Ognjen for sharing with us your magic touch! He is the CEO of the Bagatin Clinic, which is according to Deloitte one of the fastest growing small and medium-sized medical institutions which currently has 115 employees in two locations in Zagreb and one newly open in Split. With his extensive knowledge and understanding of the private healthcare system, he is a consultant for 20 clinics across Europe and Croatia in the field of cosmetic surgery, dermatology and dentistry. Ognjen held a lecture: “Hospitality – The magic touch that makes all the difference”.
It has become a tradition that we celebrate a great season of events behind us and the start of summer break with a BBQ Members Get Together at our dear members’ home. Thank you Andrew and Aline for hosting us again. It was a truly great kick-off of our summer break and celebration of future plans!
Davor is a seasoned software engineer, computer scientists and serial entrepreneur. Most recently, he co-founded ZASTI, an Artificial Intelligence startup building a proprietary platform solving problems in multiple domains where he is Chief AI Officer. Prior to that, he co-founded DRAP in 2008, one of the most awarded digital agencies in Croatia, acquired in 2018 by Imago Ogilvy.
He teaches deep learning at the HUB385 Innovation center, he is a lecturer at Data science program at Algebra College and he regularly organizes AI focused meetups and conferences. He’s the author of 15 publications in theoretical computer science and one US patent.
His lecture blew us away right into the future of technology and artificial intelligence. Thank you Davor!
Spomenka Žepec finished the study of Economics, worked in finance and took a next step, outside the boundaries of her profession, onto a road where her curiosity was taking her. She spent the majority of her working life, a total of 13 years, employed by a corporation, as the Human resources manager. This shift signified the beginning of a series of changes, her focus on the people, relationships and love. She is a certified DISC trainer, executive and relationship coach, as well as an art therapist. Her private life is rich with experience.
And we were lucky to have her share those experiences with us. Spomenka talked about “Discovering new identities“ through her life and work with her clients. What keeps us in the past? How can one muster courage and “leave a safe harbour“ to start a journey of discovery entitled “Who am I?“ What does this journey look like? We found out and you can join our next event and not miss the opportunity to find out something new for yourself. 🙂
Is there a better way to open March, the month of spring and wake up from winter dream, other than with a great presentation about Angel Investing? Thank you Marta-Patricia Aparicio y Montesinos for a great presentation. Marta-Patricia Aparicio y Montesinos has been the Founder and Managing Director of Keymon Ventures since 2017. She holds a Masters from the IESE Business School and is a CFA Level II Candidate. She has over 12 years of early-stage equity experience as a Portfolio Supervisor, Investment Officer, LP analyst, advisor, evaluator and mentor.
Tatjana Batas was one of our first members and we enjoyed hearing her success story. She is a business consultant, lecturer and mentor – specialized for business development (from idea to market). Her education is mixed with medicine and business and filled with educations from renowned universities. During her consulting experience she participated in many national and European projects for development of small and medium entrepreneurs and start-ups. For many years she has been an expert associate for European Commission in the area of innovation development.
Hearing experiences from Olive and Seamus was a great way to celebrate closing of the year and the upcoming Christmas season.
Olive Hempenstall is a career diplomat and has represented Ireland in Estonia and Tanzania as well as advising two Irish parliamentary committees dealing with Northern Ireland and Foreign Affairs as part of her career. Her husband, Seamus, is a career civil servant who has worked in five departments in a range of roles. They met when they were both diplomats and have three children. Since 2016, Olive has been Ambassador to Croatia and Seamus has been minding the children. They have yet to agree who has the more fulfilling job.
Thank you Sanja for your inspiring lecture! Sanja Šagud, our member and General Manager of Strategic Business Unit Pharma and Personal Care in Atlantic Grupa. Sanja held a lecture: “My career path, opportunities and obstacles from Plan & analysis to General Director position”. Enjoy the atmosphere and join us for our next one.
It was truly a delicious presentation for the start of autumn. Our member, Željka Maras, director of Jedem doma shared her story with us about her way of creating a job for herself which has no connection to her formal education, gained professional experience or expectations from surrounding. Although it is a lot connected to her authentic self.
We traveled around the world with our Y-Fang. The world is her playground and she shared wih us how she has experienced that all her life, professionally and personally. French Born Chinese, married with a Dutch man and now ‘expat wife’ in Zagreb. From her business experience, working in France and the Netherlands, she has been working in multicultural teams the last 18 years.
We had a lovely time at our 12th Members Get Together. This was our last Get Together before we all go for our summer vacations to get some rest, sun and energy for all new great ideas and events that we are planning. What better way to prepare than with great food and company? Special thanks to Andrew Dalgleish for hosting this great barbecue.
