How can students learn on their own? Where can drivers go when their vehicles break down? How can you learn complex subjects that aren’t in your language? These are just a few of the problems girls created app solutions for during this year’s “Technovation Girls Cambodia” competition. The competition tasked teams of girls in the Southeast Asian nation with developing mobile apps that solve real social problems. 

A total of 25 teams competed in the annual 12-week global tech entrepreneurship education and competition program, which strives to inspire more girls to become innovators and creators. The teams consisted of girls between the ages 10 and 18. After they underwent 12 weeks of training on how to code, the teams got to develop their own apps and pitch their ideas to the competition jury. 

One team, called Teen4 Tech, developed an app that can translate complicated STEM subjects into their native language, Khmer, along with pictures. The app, “ScholarED,” earned them a place in the finals, and also taught them a lot about app development in the real world. 

“We learned to manage our time and a lot about how to run a business,” one of the girls told the Khmer Times.

The team E2STEM Dynamique won first place for developing  “Scientifique,” an affordable mobile app offering students ages 11 – 18 science lessons that help them learn science on their own, according to The Phnom Penh Post. Lessons guide users with illustrations and analogies, and offer tips on how to make good study habits. The team won 2,000,0000 in Cambodian dollars (equivalent to $500 U.S. dollars) for their app. 

Coming in second place was Team Nice Girl for their app “Repair,” which helps drivers quickly and safely find nearby mechanics when their vehicles malfunction. The team won 1,200,000 in Cambodian dollars (equivalent to U.S. $300 dollars).

Learn more about Technovation Cambodia. 

Do you want to learn more about coding? Check out the coding tag on IEEE TryEngineering!