We are thrilled today to announce our strategic partnership with the AMENA (Asia, Middle East, and North Africa) Center for Entrepreneurship and Development Center at the Haas School of Business, University of California Berkeley.

Through this partnership, we’ll be able to provide so many new resources to our students from job opportunities to mentoring.

This partnership was a natural fit for us as the AMENA Center’s mission is to narrow the economic development, gender, entrepreneurship, and innovation gaps in the AMENA region through programs and initiatives that advance human capital development, build a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, reverse the effects of the brain-drain, and produce academically rigorous policy oriented research.

Together, we’re sure we’ll be able to make a difference in how the Middle East educates the next generation of women! Some of the exciting programs at AMENA include their new MENA Group, MAP, and PARS. Stay tuned as we continue to work together and change some lives.

This week, we were excited to begin construction on our second floor at Code to Inspire.

We can’t believe how far we’ve come, and can’t wait to accommodate more students, more classes, and more ideas.

Speaking of which, our next class of students took their entrance exams today:

We’re so pleased to be able to expand each and every year, and provide a free coding education to even more girls and young women in Afghanistan. The more women we empower, the better Afghanistan will become.

In fact, the Blossom Hill Foundation, which aims to “invest in peace through innovation” agrees with us, and they’ve selected Fereshteh as a 2017 fellow! If you’d like to support as well you can do so here.

Horeya, hard at work at CTI.

Today, we interview one of our graphic design students, Horeya. She is currently studying graphic design at Herat University – read on to learn more about her and how Code to Inspire has affected her life.

1-Tell us about yourself.

I am Horeya Kabiri, and I’m 21 years old. I graduated from high school in 2014, and I now study graphic design at Herat University in the Fine Arts department.

2-How did you find out about Code to Inspire? Tell us about your journey to CTI, how you compare yourself now from to the very first day you joined CTI?

I found out about Code to Inspire on social media, and it changed my life. I’ve always looked for a place that would support my growth as an artist and where I could work to improve my professional growth, and Code to Inspire has been that place for me ever since I was accepted after passing the entrance exam.

3-What have your learned so far in your Graphic Design class? What do you like about it the most?

Graphic Design is an astonishing, and complex form of art. That’s why it was important that we learned all of its rules, starting with the basics. I love all parts of it, but digital graphics and animation are my favorite.

4-Tell us about one of the digital paintings you have done so far and like the most? Is there a message behind it?

I always say that Graphic is my language, and I use it as a tool for communication just as I do with words. I usually use a surreal style when I create my designs. For example, this digital painting represents the mothers of Afghanistan, and how they are in our hearts while also coping with their own problems.

5-How do you think graphics and design can empower girls and women?

I see a bright future for female graphic artists. No one can stop them if they believe in themselves, and it can help them enter the global economy.

6-What is your message to people around the world as a girl in Afghanistan?

Afghan girls are not just competent, but capable and ambitious. All we need is peace, and we’ll change the future.

7-Tell us the fun fact about yourself?

My friends always call me blithe! One fun fact though is that whenever I meet children, I basically turn into a child myself and get on their nerves.

Want to ensure Horeya and her classmates can continue their education? Keep on donating!

For today’s blog post, we’re interviewing one of our volunteers, Bibhash Roy, who hails from India. Read on to learn more about his perspective on our work, the impact and importance of a proper education, and how women are perceived in India.

Tell us about yourself and your background.

I’m an engineer turned tech entrepreneur with a background in electrical engineering and information technology. Throughout my career, I’ve held positions at global companies including PricewaterhouseCoopers and Siemens. Now, though, I’m focused full time on my work as an entrepreneur.  

How did you find out about Code to Inspire and what motivated you to contribute to our mission in Afghanistan?

From Ehsan Ehrari, one of the Code to Inspire’s mentors. He told me about it when he expressed interest in one of my Git courses at Udemy.

What is the status of women accessing a STEM education in your country?

I’m from India, a free country with a rich legacy of democracy. While women technically enjoy equal rights as men, in reality, they don’t always have the same access to the economy or a proper education.

Indian women, however, have come of age and are taking big strides in contributing towards economic prosperity & their education in our country, especially in STEM. Another barrier is that the Internet hasn’t reached as much of the population as it has in developed countries in North America or Europe, but it is, of course, widely used.

Why do you think it is important for women to be technologically literate and know how to code? How does it empower them, especially in underserved communities?

Generally speaking, women comprise approximately 50{1e5b5b8455e4fd0a501a0ba32c7b6cedbd9d99491662a4a0878218331661888d} of the population in most countries.

Therefore,  if women are denied access to education and the economy, then the growth & prosperity of a nation becomes severely lopsided and stymied. Technology empowers society. When we arm women with education, especially in STEM, underserved communities can begin to catch up.

What is your message to people around the world about Code to Inspire’s work and Afghanistan?

Code to Inspire is doing commendable work to empower women of Afghanistan with a STEM education. I urge people and organizations around the world to contribute to this worthy cause.