Two Pak women to attend youth forum in Norway

PESHAWAR: Two Pakistani women have been selected to participate in the sixth annual Telenor Youth Forum (TYF) to be held in Oslo, the capital of Norway, from December 8-11 next. The TYF, in collaboration with the Nobel Peace Centre, brings together a group of 16 young delegates from Asia and Europe and challenges these individuals to find ways to use digital technology to reduce inequalities and empower societies.

Maieda Janjua, 22, from Islamabad and Asma Akbar Ladak, 20, from Karachi were selected from the group to participate in the forum.

Maieda Janjua graduated from Dartmouth last year in Computer Science and currently interning in Telenor’s “Data as a Service” team. She was exploring the tech scene in the country and interested in using technology for social good. The idea pitched by her is to create an artificially intelligent chatbot to help address maternal mortality.

Asma Akbar Ladak is a medical student, who has developed a solar powered water bottle that purifies contaminated water (both microscopically and macroscopically) and condenses atmospheric water vapour to drinkable water.

In the last five seasons of TYF, there have been some outstanding individuals to represent Pakistan that include Saad Hamid, a digital evangelist, Fatima Rizwan, founder of Tech Juice.com, Haroon Yasin, founder of Orenda and receiver of Queen’s Young Leaders award and Sajawal Waseem, winner of TYF 2016-17.

Chief Executive Officer Irfan Wahab Khan hoped the two selectees would perform well in Oslo and make Pakistan proud. The TYF delegates would participate in a service design programme in Oslo to create a digital service, product or campaign that tackles a global social challenge. They will also explore the connection between digital technology and peace by participating in the Nobel Peace Prize festivities.