KARACHI: United Bank Limited is partnering with National Incubation Centre, Karachi (NICK) to organise the BuiltByHer 3.0 Hackathon to address women’s economic inclusion in Pakistan whilst simultaneously promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.

Despite having an estimated population of over 220 million, the participation of women in Pakistan’s local economy is impeded due to lack of financial literacy and difficulty in accessing financial services. Therefore, it is imperative for leading businesses to support endeavors that encourage women empowerment.

BuiltByHer is a 48-hour long virtual hackathon aimed at empowering young women in creating technological solutions to address pressing developmental challenges present within their communities.

To commemorate the partnership, a signing ceremony was held recently and was attended by Sharjeel Shahid, Group Executive-Digital Banking, UBL and Omar Abedin, Project Director, NICK alongside other senior members from both sides.

Omar Abedin, Project Director, NICK shared his excitement of partnering with UBL and said, “Having an organization like UBL committed to creating a gender inclusive economy is a game changer. With UBL’s expansive reach and expertise in banking technology, the participating teams are bound to come up with some truly innovative solutions.”

Speaking on the occasion Sharjeel Shahid, Group Executive, Digital Banking Group, UBL said, “UBL has always taken pride in being a progressive and inclusive bank. Supporting women entrepreneurs in tech space will go a long way in bank’s attempt to carry forward the spirit of UBL as a responsible Corporate Citizen. We hope this partnership inspires the participants and many others to go after their dreams.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022