Learn how Ciena and Mentoralia are helping girls in Mexico build digital skills, explore STEM, and create technology solutions that benefit their communities.
In Mexico, many girls have the curiosity, creativity, and drive to explore technology, but some lack access to safe, supportive spaces where they can learn. With help from one of our Digital Inclusion grants, Mentoralia A.C. is helping more girls build digital skills, develop confidence, and use technology to solve real problems in their communities.
Since 2023, Ciena has supported Mentoralia’s Club Chicas Mentoralia initiative, a technology training program designed for girls and young women ages 8 to 18. The clubs provide hands-on learning in programming, digital skills, software development, innovation, entrepreneurship, communication, teamwork, and leadership. For many participants, the program offers their first meaningful exposure to technology—and a new way to imagine their futures.
The impact is a flourishing in both technical skills and beyond. Surveys conducted with the girls before and after participation showed improvements in digital literacy and programming knowledge, along with stronger interest in pursuing technology as a future career. Participants also reported greater confidence in public speaking, using computers, and sharing their ideas with others.
Thanks to the club, I learned that women are not here to fit into the system; we are here to rebuild it, line by line, with our voice and vision.
Helping girls discover their voice, skills, and potential
Many participants apply their new skills through Technovation Girls, a global program in which girls from Mentoralia take part. In the Technovation Girls program, the girls work in teams to identify a community issue, create a mobile app or technology-based solution, and present their ideas at regional pitch events, with the possibility of advancing to international competition.
One inspiring example is sisters Fátima and Paloma, whose experience in Club Chicas Mentoralia led them to the Technovation Girls World Summit in San Francisco. Drawing from their lived experience, they developed an app called “With You” that helps working parents communicate with children at home. Alongside messaging features, the app provides emergency contacts, guidance for critical situations, and safety tips designed to help families feel more prepared and connected. Not only did they showcase their technical skills with their app—they also gained a meaningful experience in presenting their work to a large audience and meeting other participants from around the world.
Being part of Club Chicas Mentoralia opened learning opportunities for me, both technologically—by developing an app—and socially—by becoming aware of the problems around me and seeking solutions.
Since receiving their initial grant from Ciena, Mentoralia has partnered with 22 educational and community organizations to host technology clubs, reaching 400 girls across Mexico. Of these, 331 chose to participate in the Technovation Girls competition where 33 were recognized at regional events and 14 became semi-finalists in the global competition. These enthusiastic girls represent a significant growth in participation in the Technovation Girls program in Mexico, increasing 85% in 2024 and growing another 66% in 2025.
The deep and ongoing relationship between Ciena and Mentoralia
Our support for Mentoralia goes beyond funding. Our people have also played an important role by sharing their experiences, offering encouragement, and helping participants see what a career in technology can look like. Ciena team members have participated as speakers, panelists, judges, and mentors across several Mentoralia and Technovation Girls activities, including regional pitch events as judges and speakers. For girls just beginning their technology journeys, seeing women from Ciena speak, judge, mentor, and lead can make the future feel more tangible.
The next chapter of our collaboration is focused on helping Mentoralia reach more girls in need. Through renewed support for 2026, Mentoralia aims to train 20 to 30 teachers, support the creation of more than 30 clubs, and reach more than 600 girls through a 15-week hands-on program aligned with the Technovation Girls curriculum. The program will also expand to more states and provide resources such as materials, laptops, projectors, and internet access for underserved communities. Together, we’re helping more girls gain the skills, confidence, and support to build a better future for themselves and their communities.