Partnership to equip 100 women on generative AI learning
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| Photo Caption: Elevate GAIL MOA Signing (from L-R): Gilda Maquilan, GCash VP for Public Affairs and Corporate Communications; Gina Romero, Connected Women Founder and Head of Special Projects; Sara Venturina, GCash Chief Data Officer; Agnes Gervacio, Connected Women Chief Executive Officer. |
MANILA, Philippines, 25 April 2024 – GCash, the Philippines’ leading finance app and largest cashless ecosystem, has partnered with Connected Women, a global community of tech-powered women, to launch Elevate GAIL (Generative AI Learning). Elevate GAIL is a flagship training program for women freelancers, micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and professionals who want to leverage generative artificial intelligence (AI) for their professional growth and development.
Under the partnership, GCash will provide scholarships to 100 women who will undergo training under Elevate GAIL. This will unlock opportunities for more women freelancers as they gain knowledge and skills to work with AI, allowing them to be more efficient and productive in view of varying roles they hold at home and in the workplace.
This initiative further underscores GCash’s commitment to bringing more women in tech and providing them with access to financial services through tech-driven solutions.
GCash Chief Data Officer Sara Venturina said, “With the rise of the gig economy and remote work, more freelancers are embracing the potential of Gen AI to enhance their productivity, creativity, and earning potential. However, access has remained a significant challenge for many talented individuals. Here is where our partnership with Connected Women comes into play – by combining the resources and expertise of both organizations, we aim to create a comprehensive digital ecosystem that empowers women in the field of Gen AI, which will help facilitate women’s financial progress.”
Connected Women is an award-winning social impact organization based in the Philippines, that provides online skills development and remote work opportunities for women—the same highly skilled talent that global companies require in their businesses. The partnership between GCash and Connected Women began in 2023, with the Connected Women platform being made available under the Earn Money Feature of GCash, providing women with opportunities to work from home. To date, over 68,000 women have signed up through this channel.
"Empowering women with skills for emerging technologies, such as AI, is not just about professional growth," said Connected Women CEO Agnes Gervacio. "It's about creating a more diverse and inclusive industry. GCash was our first company in mind when we were brainstorming this program. Through this, we aim to prepare women for the changing landscape of work and the inevitable disruption of AI."
During the Elevate GAIL Program Launch last April 17, Keynote Speaker Usec. Rafaelita Aldaba, Undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry-Competitiveness and Innovation Group, said, "We acknowledge the transformative power of innovation and the vital role of women in driving technological advancement. Our partnership with Connected Women solidifies our commitment to promoting responsible AI adoption and digital transformation in the Philippines. Through the GAIL program, we empower women with online skills development opportunities, foster ethical AI practices, and involve them in shaping the tech ecosystem. This collaboration supports women entrepreneurs and cultivates an inclusive environment where creativity and opportunities thrive. Generative AI enhances human capabilities in creative tasks, design, and data analysis."
GCash remains committed to investing in women and continues to look for opportunities for more women to participate in the tech industry, whether they be the company’s leaders and team members, entrepreneurs, freelancers in the gig economy, or everyday GCash users. GCash’s other partnerships to boost the presence of women in tech include its partnership with For The Women Foundation, which led to the upskilling of women in data science, seeing a 76% new job placement rate and a 154% increase in monthly earnings of women after the training period.
Currently, 49% of women make up the company’s total workforce, and 37% of the company’s tech team is made up of women. Women are the main driver of GCash’s portfolio of services, with women making up 55% of the app’s users.
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About GCash
GCash is the Philippines’ #1 Finance Super App. Through the GCash App, users can easily purchase prepaid airtime; pay bills via partner billers nationwide; send and receive money anywhere in the Philippines, even to other bank accounts; purchase from over 6 million partner merchants and social sellers; and get access to savings, credit, loans, insurance and invest money, and so much more, all at the convenience of their smartphones. GCash’s mobile wallet operations are handled by G-Xchange, Inc. (GXI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mynt, the first and only duacorn in the Philippines.
GCash is a staunch supporter of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly UN SDGs 5,8,10, and 13, which focus on safety & security, financial inclusion, diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts, respectively.
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