“Code to Inspire (CTI) is an extraordinary place for women, where they are comfortable and safe. Going to CTI was the best decision I ever made in my life. CTI is 100% the reason why I got this opportunity.”
Razia Sabeghi grew up in a refugee camp in Iran, the daughter of a construction worker and housewife with elementary school education. After high school, she and her family were able to move back to Afghanistan. Razia lived in extreme poverty but managed to attend college and get married. After college, Razia could not find work. She learned about CTI through a friend and was able to pass the entrance exam and enroll in the mobile app development class. After completing the program, Razia found an opportunity to work remotely on a trial basis as a mobile app programmer for a company in Iraq. The company loved her work and hired her full-time. Razia, 27, earns $300 a month, significantly more than the average monthly salary for all workers in Afghanistan.
History:
In the Summer of 2015, Fereshteh Forough, the Founder and Executive Director of Code to Inspire launched “Code school for Women in Afghanistan” on Indiegogo with the goal of raising $20k in order to start the first (free) coding school for girls in Afghanistan. Thanks to generous help and support from her community, Fereshteh exceeded her funding goal and was able to open a safe, secure, high quality coding school for girls in her homeland of Afghanistan. A few months later in November 2015, Fereshteh and the Code to Inspire team delivered on her campaign promise and opened the first coding school for girls in Herat, Afghanistan with 50 female students aged (15 to 25) years old.
Based on the school success and high demand from local community Fereshteh expanded the school and opened doors for another group of 80 students late 2017. To provide more resources based on previous Indiegogo success Fereshteh organized "Building Afghanistan 2.0 with female coders" in Fall 2017 with the goal to raise $40K which she again exceeded her funding goal.
Now:
There is still a huge demand for our classes as an example we had about 300 applicants who are willing to join our news graphic design class where due to lack or resources are only able to accept top 60 of them.
Proven Impacts and Milestones:
- 1st coding school for girls in Afghanistan
- 150 students served to date
- 50 graduates with 70% employment rate
- 20 remote/freelance project has been done worth of $15,000 by 20 students
- 30 + social impact mobile apps and game developed by our students
- 7 International trips (students and mentors) presenting their games and apps
Success Story:
“The first ever salary I received through my coding skills was an unforgettable feeling. I was jumping around and wanted to fly. I am so happy that I can make money by myself and I am so grateful to CTI of helping to make this happen.”
Arezo Akrami knew very little about computers when she learned about Code to Inspire. The daughter of merchants and one of five children living in Afghanistan, the high school students enrolled in CTI’s Web Development/Web Design class and fell in love with programming and CTI’s safe and welcoming environment. Two years later, she graduated from the CTI program and launched a freelance web development business. The early days were tough, but Arzo landed a project to create a website for nonprofit organization in Herat. The organization loved her work and hired her as an employee to provide web development services. The 17-year-old is about to enter college and earns $100 a month at her job.
Where the funds go:
Our goal of $30,000 will help us expand our efforts, here’s how:
- Purchase 10 new laptops for the coding and graphic design classes.
- Cover 12 months of Internet of the entire school.
- Cover 12 months of rent for the entire school.
- Cover 12 months of sustainable electricity for the entire school.
- Cover 12 months of daily free snacks for the students.
Other Ways you can help to invest in our girls's future!
- Donate, Share, and Get 3 Friends to do the same!
- Tweet this campaign to your followers!
- Post and share this on Facebook!
- Email to your friends!
Thanks for investing in the future of our students!
Fereshteh Forough
Founder and Executive Director