A computer project nurturing future Steve Jobs’ of Samoa has caught the attention of the Office of the Regulator (O.O.T.R).

As a result, Regulator Unutoa Auelua-Fonoti is considering the possibility of using Digicel’s Coder Dojo as a pathway to get more women into the field of Information and Communication Technology (I.C.T).

Coder Dojo is a programme for kids where volunteer workers show them coding activities made easy to understand with simple steps.

The interest from the O.O.T.R follows a visit from Regulator Unutoa.

Moli Seanoa, the Head of Marketing for Digicel Samoa. said they are ecstatic about the visit.

“The visit today means that the Office of the Regulator endorses the Coder Dojo programme as a pathway into leading girls to choose I.C.T as a career,” Ms. Seanoa said.

“Right now we don’t have any programmes in Samoa as a whole to encourage girls to choose the ICT field as a career.”

This isn’t the first project where the O.O.T.R and Digicel have joined forces to implement.

“The Regulator worked with various projects last year which was also supported and sponsored by Digicel,” Ms. Seanoa said.

“The projects were based in I.C.T with a competition for girls in various high schools in Samoa.

“This year they are looking for something new in actually getting girls into practical lessons.”

Coder Dojo will support girls who don’t have the resources for practical I.C.T lessons with the team looking to expose them to the life of an I.C.T specialist.

“We want to show women that this field is not only for men and this is a highly paid career. 

“This will open up a lot of doors for the girls, their families and for Samoa’s future,” Ms. Seanoa said.

“The big picture is to have everyone, every child and every girl who doesn’t have access to a computer to be given this opportunity.”

But Digicel needs your help.

“We cannot do this without the help of volunteers and other companies who show the same passion,” Ms. Seanoa said. 

“If other companies are willing to join this noble project then we will be happy to oblige.

“We will be leading Samoa’s women into the global technology world so we can be on the same class of standards as the rest of the world.”

As Unutoa, she has had much personal success in the field of I.C.T with a Masters in Engineering from the University of Southern Queensland, Australia.

“She is a lady who has succeeded in the field of technology and she can be an example for all the young ladies of Samoa.”