MANILA – The Global Information and Technology Challenge (GITC) for Youth with Disabilities opened on Monday at The Manila Hotel, gathering 154 participants from 15 countries.
The competition, now on its 13th year, aims to improve the capabilities of youth with disabilities in using information technology.
“They can do exactly as other people who do not have disability. I think most people’s achievement is giving participants this lifetime experience, so that they can change their lives with the participation in these events,” Rehabilitation International Korea board member Jun Oh said during a media forum.
Of the total number of participants, 104 aged 14 to 23 years from Bangladesh, Cambodia, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines with visual, physical, hearing and developmental disabilities.
National Council on Disability Affairs executive director Glenda Relova said Filipino winners in the past GITC events have been employed here and abroad.
“This is a stage, an opportunity for youth with disability to showcase their talents and for them to show that they have a different community,” she said.
“So if we our environment, our programs, our services and policies are accessible to them, and you give them a proper,” she added.
The competition is composed of two types –basic and applied.
The basic competition includes eTool presentation which tests the skills of the participants in creating and editing presentation slides; eTool spreadsheet which tests their ability to utilize function, calculation, and editing of data per given conditions; and eLifeMap which tests their competence in searching and utilizing information that deals with daily life problems using the internet.
Meanwhile, the applied competition includes eContent that tests participants talent in crafting and editing creative videos about specific topics; eCreative Smart Car that tests their coding capability to use a scratch program for self-driving car; and eCreative IT that allows participants to come up with appropriate IT ideas or solutions for challenges they encounter.
An international forum is scheduled on Tuesday to review GITC’s achievements.
“Through this forum, we discuss how we are going to develop GITC process in the future. We agree that all countries will take care of their own delegation, and take care of certain policy, systems and practical support,” Oh said. (PNA)