Afghan women coders have defied the odds by propelling their programming and coding skills to an enhanced level.
Afghanistan is a nation where girls face limited educational opportunities. Moreover, internet access is shaky, and this jeopardizes the acquisition of tech skills.
Despite these challenges, the Afghan women coders have shown exceptional dedication in propelling their technological capabilities.
An after-school program pivotal for Afghan women coders
An after-school training program called ‘Code to Inspire in the Western City of Herat’ has been instrumental in equipping the Afghan women coders with the relevant skills needed.
For instance, they are able to learn various tech skills that enable them to develop apps and games intended at educating girls in Afghanistan and beyond.
One of the primary intentions of Afghan women coders is inspiring many girls to eliminate any obstacle in their educational aspirations.
Afghan women coders’ success
The Afghan women coders have recorded notable achievements.
For instance, their highest-profile prosperity involved the release of a phone app called Afghan Hero Girl. Twelve (12) young women developed this application, and it took them more than six (6) months.
The phone app involves a princess who wears a green veil, and her objective is defeating a wizard so that she can secure her family.
One of the founders of Code to Inspire, Fereshteh Forough, noted that students were sickened by the absence of female representation in the growing gaming sector as it was dominated by male superheroes.
Forough, who is also a former refugee and computer science teacher, noted that Afghan women coders were filling the void in the male-dominated tech industry, and this was an incredible step.
She noted that the games created were instrumental in demonstrating the obstacles and difficulties faced daily by women across Afghanistan.
Conversely, the recent success of eSports gaming made some universities in the U.S. and the U.K. to think about making eSports as a degree. The gaming industry has not been this grandeur with millions of dollars in pot money at stake.
