In April 2007, 35 talented young women joined the ranks of Turkmenistan’s first bloggers, generating web content in Turkmen and Russian and connecting with communities across the country. As a result of blogging activities, the TAG semifinalists gained new perspectives on information exchange and self-expression. Through the TAG project, girls have gained valuable technology skills and increased their access to information, empowering them to play important roles in community development.
An Ashgabat semifinalist commented, “Since there is limited information available online about Turkmen literature, I am developing my blog about Turkmen literature… I also write poems, so blogging is a convenient tool for me to share my literary works with others…” The Tech Age Girls developed their blogs daily by adding new information and inviting comments from peers. The GCE Turkmenistan Educational Portal hosts the blogs at.
In addition to computer trainings, participants also benefited from leadership lessons from Peace Corps Volunteers in all five regions. TAG semifinalists learned about the definition and styles of leadership and strategies for developing leadership qualities. GCE integrated technology into workshops and developed an online forum where TAG semifinalists discussed leadership issues and fortified the skills and knowledge gained through the project (http://gcetm.net/forum/index.php?s=a3bcd2506cafaa50ba7541a39a6f3953&show... [9]). TAG semifinalists applied their new skills during Global Youth Service Day by organizing community service activities in Turkmenistan. The first cohort of Turkmen TAG semifinalists recently completed their second month of computer and leadership development.
The GCE Tech Age Girls (TAG) project addresses the demand for women in the IT field by providing leadership training to promising young female computer specialists.