Code to Inspire is the first computer coding school for girls in Afghanistan. We started our partnership with them in 2020, right in the middle of the global COVID-19 outbreak, by raising much needed emergency funds to help provide internet access to girls who had to continue their work at home when the coding school was forced to close. We also contributed professional tablets to kick off a new advanced graphic design programme at the school. The school re-opened and 75 girls were able to graduate this year in coding and graphic design – several of the girls were already earning an income building websites and apps for companies.

Things changed drastically over the last few weeks.

In light of recent events we are launching this urgent fundraising appeal to help the girls of Code to Inspire, who have overnight seen their living situations deteriorate rapidly. We have a generous donor who will match up to $2500 in funds by midnight 27 Sept (EST), so every dollar you donate will become two. Donate here.

Monday Sept 19th was the first day back at school in Afghanistan under the Taliban. But only for boys. Fereshteh Forough, the founder of Code to Inspire has received many urgent messages for help from the girls and their families as the humanitarian crisis continues to grow more dire, especially for girls and women. In her own words:

“These past weeks as much as I was worried and concerned about the future of our girls with our coding school, I received heartbreaking messages from our students whom either themselves as the main breadwinner of the family or someone from their family lost their jobs and have no income at all which led to food insecurity, not being able to pay rent, medical needs, commute and etc. 

Here are a few of the messages I received:

“I don’t have a father and our situation at home is very bad.”

” My father is disabled and my mom and I were the breadwinners. We both lost jobs. Any help can save us.”

“My mother was a government human rights lawyer. The Taliban took my father as hostage to force my mother to resign which it happened. My father is hidden and we don’t have any source of income since my mother lost her job.”

“I don’t have a father. I was the only breadwinner. My mother is sick and we have to pay for her medical bills which we don’t have any money for.”

There are currently 80 students asking for cash assistance to support their families. With an average family of six, cash assistance of $200 per family can help cover food, rent and medical expenses. 

Every bit counts if you can spare it. Thank you for your help.