Zynga and Unherd.in Launch After-School Program to Nurture Next Generation of Women Game Developers

BENGALURU, India - Jan. 19, 2022 - PRLog -- Bengaluru - Today, Zynga Inc. a global leader in interactive entertainment announced it has teamed up with India-based social enterprise, Unherd.in, to launch GirlsGame2, an after-school mentorship program that introduces pre-college girls from under-resourced communities in India to career opportunities in gaming and technology industries. Through this one-of-a-kind initiative, Zynga and Unherd.in aim to nurture the next generation of women in STEAM careers.

GirlsGame2, which is led by Zynga's employee resource group, Women At Zynga (WAZ) India, matches 10th and 11th-grade female students with mentors from Zynga. Over the course of a month, students learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs), as well as receive career guidance and instruction on how to develop their own personal game ideas.

"As an extension of this initiative, we are proud to partner with Unherd India to launch GirlsGame2," said Vijay Pendakur, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer of Zynga. "With support and mentorship from our employee volunteers, we are helping to empower these future women leaders by creating better pathways to career opportunities in gaming and STEAM fields."

"Sparking a pre-college girl's interest in a STEAM career is more likely to get them into a STEAM profession when they are adults," said Alister D'Monte, Founder of Unherd.in."We want women of all ages to know that careers in Gaming and Tech are not only for their male counterparts. We are proud to partner with Zynga to help make this initiative a reality and to help show our youth that there is a place for them to achieve their full potential in any industry." Women At Zynga is one of Zynga's longest-standing and most active employee resource groups, growing steadily since 2012. WAZ strives to empower women to have a greater presence, opportunity, and growth within Zynga, the gaming industry, and society. To learn more about this movement, visit GirlsGame2 here - https://unherd.in/project/girlsgame2/.

Watch the impact GirlsGame2 had on the participating students and mentors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNzRACwxYjU