Rojina Bajracharya, a Python developer from Bhaktapur, Nepal, is the first winner of Toptal Scholarships for Female Developers.
Python is becoming a widely used general-purpose but high-level computer programming language somewhat akin to C++ or Java. Its merit is code readability; it allows programmers to express concepts in fewer lines of code than would be possible in other computer languages.
Toptal Director of Engineering Anna-Chiara Bellini, who is organizing the initiative and leading the committee of judges says: “She is both brilliant and ambitious, and is not only working hard to develop her own skills, but is also doing amazing things to build and support a community of female technologists around her in Nepal.”
Rojina is a co-founder of Girls in Technology, operating in the Kathmandu area, training women to become software engineers. The organization was founded after Rojina and several friends took a programming course that a mentor from Pagoda Labs, a Kathmandu-based creative agency, had set up for girls in the area.
The programming course met every Saturday for 5 weeks, and after it was complete, Rojina and 4 other girls decided to form Girls in Technology so that they could continue their education and support other girls who were also interested in learning software development.
The organization was founded less than 9 months ago, and today, Girls in Technology holds training sessions every Saturday. Over 40 girls attended the most recent session.
In Rojina’s words, “Girls in Technology is a common platform that brings all women studying technology in Nepal together. Technology in most areas of the world has been a male-dominated field, and the same is true in Nepal, where most of the best jobs are related to computer programming and technology. Nepalese businesses are no less capable in technology compared to anywhere else in the world, but while there are skilled programmers here, there are not nearly enough to fill the demand.”
Rokina sees that Nepal has skilled women in technical fields, but on average there are far fewer females than males. Girls who are already interested in technical subjects or who are studying this field should be encouraged to continue. Right now, many girls in this field leave it because they think computer jobs are too difficult and they lose confidence at some point. So, Girls in Technology is a motto and platform to bring these girls together and encourage them to continue forward.
Rojina’s long-term vision for the organization includes directly helping girls land programming jobs with Nepalese tech companies and reaching out to girls across the entire nation.
As she puts it, “In a few years, I want to see all girls in Nepal studying technology and feeling that they can work in the tech industry if they desire.”
Rojina further explains, “There are nine software development companies in Nepal right now that use Python, and they all need senior developers.”
“I found out about Toptal Scholarships on Facebook, when one of my friends shared a link to the application,” says Rojina. “I was so excited to apply when I found out about it. I immediately read all the rules and created a blog for myself in WordPress so that I could apply.”
As part of her application, Rojina worked on building Hamropasal, a Python-based eCommerce application that she has open sourced. Her submission blog post discusses her passion for technology and the challenges she has faced as a woman in Nepal learning to become a software developer.
Rojina plans on using her scholarship winnings to help build and launch Hamropasal, to pay for her independent studies and her future Master’s degree, and to support Girls in Technology initiatives. To help her with that last part, Toptal will be partnering with GiT in an additional capacity to sponsor their initiatives indefinitely and to support their long-term visions, including funding events and providing the organization with access to Udemy’s full course catalog.
Rojina, speaking about herself says: “I am a girl brought up in a cultured family, where we value norms and ethics very strongly. Nepal is a country where so many people from diverse cultures live together as a community. We believe in ‘Unity in Diversity’. We also believe in helping each other and growing together. And, Nepal is the country of the Himalayas, where Gautam Buddha was born, and where the highest peak in the world, Mount Everest, lies. Being a Buddhist, I follow the thoughts of Lord Buddha, which are very practical for every living being’s life. I am strongly inspired by one of his thoughts: ‘The mind is everything. What you think, you become.’ I believe that every religion is the same if it teaches humanity and the path to enlightenment and peace.”
