| ANNUAL REPORTS *
Welcome to CodeBrave’s
2024 Impact Report
CodeBrave’s tech education programmes equip children from disadvantaged areas in Lebanon with the skills to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.
2024 has been an exceptionally challenging year for children in Lebanon. The war displaced hundreds of thousands of families, and over 77% of public schools were either repurposed as shelters or were damaged by the conflict. This left around 500,000 children without access to education.
Despite the challenges, 2,888 CodeBrave students at 26 schools were learning coding, robotics, and AI — up from 1,006 children in 2023!
CodeBrave’s tech education programmes equip children from disadvantaged areas in Lebanon with the skills to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.
2024 has been an exceptionally challenging year for children in Lebanon. The war displaced hundreds of thousands of families, and over 77% of public schools were either repurposed as shelters or were damaged by the conflict. This left around 500,000 children without access to education.
Despite the challenges, 2,888 CodeBrave students at 26 schools were learning coding, robotics, and AI — up from 1,006 children in 2023!
Our Impact
Our Programmes
STEM programmes at schools
Students aged 9–14 in low-resourced or public schools and educational centres receive in-person weekly coding, robotics, and AI classes delivered by CodeBrave teachers, using interactive child-centred teaching methods.
School upskilling
Teachers at low-resourced or public schools receive our CodeBrave Powered Schools programme, a 30-hour capacity-building training from our staff followed by continuous coaching so they can deliver coding, robotics, and AI classes using our curriculum.
Web development programme
Teens aged 15–18 who lack opportunities learn advanced web development skills with CodeBrave teachers during a 1-year-long online merit-based programme, which includes a 4-month internship that allows them to gain real work experience.
Education at shelters during war
Displaced children in shelters aged 7–14 years old received in-person game-based STEM education by CodeBrave staff from September to November 2024, ensuring they continued learning despite the war.
A Video from the Web Development Programme
Leen’s Story
Leen’s story shows the ripple effect of mentorship and opportunity. At 14, she knew nothing about coding. Encouraged by her school teacher to apply to CodeBrave, she started to build her future.
Now 17, Leen is a UNICEF advocate for girls in STEM and will represent Lebanon at MWC Barcelona in March. This is her story:
“In 2021, I was a ninth grader with no interest in tech. But then, life led me to CodeBrave.”
Over one year with CodeBrave, Leen built skills to become a front-end web developer, including how to leverage AI. She did an internship building a website for a NGO in South Africa (NNI) and won a place on the U.S. TechGirls exchange programme. She now runs introductory sessions in Lebanese public schools to encourage girls to explore STEM and has received a full scholarship to a prestigious private Lebanese university.
“Today, I am the girl guiding teens who feel lost in the world of STEM and showing them what’s possible. I want to prove to society that engineering and computer science have no gender boundaries. Female leaders are here, pushing past societal limitations.”
Leen has come full circle—from learner to leader, empowering the next generation of girls.
Alaa’s Story
“My coding lessons became a place where I could escape reality and immerse myself in a world of endless possibilities.”
In 2023, Alaa had given up on his dream to attend university. Since the age of 14, he has worked alongside his father after school to help out his family, and by summer 2023, he took up a second job.
But Alaa was determined to keep building his future. When he discovered CodeBrave, he immediately applied to our Web Development Programme.
“The skills I learned with CodeBrave helped me land my first tech job.”
Six months later, Alaa landed his first tech job building a website for a library. Last April, OiGetIt, a US-based AI company, offered him a 6-month internship. He is now freelancing alongside his studies, and has had 5 clients already!
We are so proud of what Alaa has achieved through perseverance.
Measuring Outcomes
Measuring Outcomes
In 2024, we enhanced how we measured the learning outcomes of our students, collecting data from 900 students. These were the results:
In 2024, we enhanced how we measured the learning outcomes of our students, collecting data from 900 students. These were the results:
In the pre-test at the start of the school year, only 28% of students passed the MG-CSCI exam (Middle Grades Computer Science Concepts Inventory Assessment). By the end of the year, this had risen to 81%, showcasing a significant improvement in students’ computer science knowledge and skills.
In the pre-test at the start of the school year, only 28% of students passed the MG-CSCI exam (Middle Grades Computer Science Concepts Inventory Assessment). By the end of the year, this had risen to 81%, showcasing a significant improvement in students’ computer science knowledge and skills.
The School Upskilling programme delivered comparable learning outcomes to our Direct Teaching model but at just a quarter of the cost over a three-year period. This means we can reach four times as many students with the same investment, making it a scalable and sustainable approach to expanding access to quality computer science education. In schools where we upskilled existing teachers to deliver CodeBrave’s curriculum, students’ grades increased by 27 percentage points between pre- and post-tests—almost identical to the 27 percentage point improvement seen when classes were delivered by CodeBrave’s own teachers.
The School Upskilling programme delivered comparable learning outcomes to our Direct Teaching model but at just a quarter of the cost over a three-year period. This means we can reach four times as many students with the same investment, making it a scalable and sustainable approach to expanding access to quality computer science education. In schools where we upskilled existing teachers to deliver CodeBrave’s curriculum, students’ grades increased by 27 percentage points between pre- and post-tests—almost identical to the 29 percentage point improvement seen when classes were delivered by CodeBrave’s own teachers.
In-Depth Look At A School Upskilled By CodeBrave
In-Depth Look At A School Upskilled By CodeBrave
Carine’s Story
“Coding class made us forget about how frightened we were during the war.” Carine, 12 years old
Carine is from South Lebanon. Her home was destroyed during the war, forcing her family to flee to Beirut. They sought safety at a shelter with other displaced families. CodeBrave began providing coding and robotics classes, providing children with much-needed distraction from the war through fun game-based STEM classes, whilst also teaching key science and math concepts. Before the ceasefire was announced, CodeBrave’s classes were the only education Carine had access to.
Featured Students Projects
Guide to Lebanon:
At just 16 years old, Joseph from South Lebanon created this website to showcase the beauty and culture of Lebanon. Combining humour with essential information, his platform offers a virtual tour of the country. Joseph is currently in the last month of his Web Development Programme and will be continuing to do an internship with us.
Welcome to Japan
At 17 years old, Hala from Nabatiyeh has channelled her fascination with Japanese culture into a beautifully designed website that offers a virtual journey to Japan. Her project showcases the technical skills she has learnt so far with CodeBrave. See Japan through her eyes.
Guide to Syria
Despite joining our Web Development Programme a month late, 19-year-old Safaa from the Bekaa has not only caught up with her peers but also excelled beyond expectations. Her passion for her homeland, Syria, is beautifully encapsulated in the website she designed and created.
Funding Partners
Funding Partners
Partners & Collaborators
Partners & Collaborators
School Partners
Makassed Omar Bin Al-Khattab College
Tahaddi Informal Education Centre
Dar Al Awlad Informal Education Centre
Ajial School
Al Kwaytyah Public School
Omania Public School
Chehime 3rd Public School
Heart for Lebanon Ghazieh School
Heart for Lebanon Zahle School
Rmeyleh Public School
Rayak Secondary School
Masa Public School
Kamal Joumblatt Public School
Al Amliyah School
Ikhaa’ National School
Dr. Nazih Bizri High School
Maarouf Saad Public School
Al Mostakbal Official High School
Maroun Abboud Public School
Jaber Al Ahmad Al Sabbah School
Ansar IDP Shelter
Intermediate National School IDP Shelter
Lebanese German University IDP Shelter
Montana IDP Shelter
Nabatieh IDP Shelter
Bedayati Centre
In The Media
In The Media
Thought Leadership & Advocacy
Thought Leadership & Advocacy
CodeBrave hosted a gathering at the Australian Ambassador to Lebanon’s residence in Beirut in January 2024. We brought together key figures such as the Minister of Education and Higher Education and the British Ambassador. This event focused on the transformative potential of tech education for Lebanon’s future generations.
> In the photo: CodeBrave’s Co-Directors with the Minister of Education, H.E. Dr Abbas El Halabi, the British Ambassador, Hamish Cowell, and the Australian Ambassador, Andrew Barnes.
CodeBrave hosted a gathering at the Australian Ambassador to Lebanon’s residence in Beirut in January 2024. We brought together key figures such as the Minister of Education and Higher Education and the British Ambassador. This event focused on the transformative potential of tech education for Lebanon’s future generations.
> In the photo: CodeBrave’s Co-Directors with the Minister of Education, H.E. Dr Abbas El Halabi, the British Ambassador, Hamish Cowell, and the Australian Ambassador, Andrew Barnes.
Clementine Brown, CodeBrave’s Co-Founder and Co-Director, participated in the Forbes MENA Women Summit in Saudi Arabia in December. She spoke about how AI and tech education can create new opportunities for underserved women, transforming livelihoods and driving positive change in social enterprises.
< In the photo: CodeBrave’s C0-Founder & Co-Director, Clementine Brown with the Managing Editor for Forbes Middle East, Claudine Coletti
Clementine Brown, CodeBrave’s Co-Founder and Co-Director, participated in the Forbes MENA Women Summit in Saudi Arabia in December. She spoke about how AI and tech education can create new opportunities for underserved women, transforming livelihoods and driving positive change in social enterprises.
< In the photo: CodeBrave’s C0-Founder & Co-Director, Clementine Brown with the Managing Editor for Forbes Middle East, Claudine Coletti
Challenges
Challenges
Escalation of War
The escalation of war in Lebanon was our biggest challenge last year. With 50% of schools repurposed as shelters for families, we launched coding and robotics classes in 7 shelters across Beirut, Saida, and Aley, reaching hundreds of displaced 9–15 year-olds. Teachers were trained to address trauma and toxic stress and incorporated essential numeracy and science skills. We also introduced online teacher training modules in the School Upskilling programme and despite the fact that many of our Web Development Programme students were displaced, students maintained an incredible 91% attendance rate.
Revenue Model
The crisis highlighted the value of self-generated revenue. Over the years, we have been piloting various revenue-generating initiatives, leveraging our certified curriculum and teaching expertise to serve private schools and students worldwide. Currently, around 26% of our average annual revenue comes from private enterprise, which proved crucial during the crisis. However, as our grant funding grows, sustaining this proportion of self-generated income will become more challenging.
Escalation of War
The escalation of war in Lebanon was our biggest challenge last year. With 50% of schools repurposed as shelters for families, we launched coding and robotics classes in 7 shelters across Beirut, Saida, and Aley, reaching hundreds of displaced 9–15 year-olds. Teachers were trained to address trauma and toxic stress and incorporated essential numeracy and science skills. We also introduced online teacher training modules in the School Upskilling programme and despite the fact that many of our Web Development Programme students were displaced, students maintained an incredible 91% attendance rate.
Revenue Model
The crisis highlighted the value of self-generated revenue. Over the years, we have been piloting various revenue-generating initiatives, leveraging our certified curriculum and teaching expertise to serve private schools and students worldwide. Currently, around 26% of our average annual revenue comes from private enterprise, which proved crucial during the crisis. However, as our grant funding grows, sustaining this proportion of self-generated income will become more challenging.
Financial Sustainability Through Our Social Enterprise
26% of our annual revenue came from our growing social enterprise initiatives. This year, we expanded our scope to include contracts with private schools. This is an exciting development towards greater financial sustainability for our impact-focused programmes. It also serves as evidence of the quality of the education we provide to disadvantaged youth in Lebanon.
CodeBrave Tutors
CodeBrave Tutors, our online private coding tutoring service, has now taught coding, robotics, and AI to over 290 children worldwide. Operating on a one-for-one model, all profits also directly support our charitable work in Lebanon.
Private Schools
We partnered with Eastwood Kfarshima (Lebanon) and Bambr and New English School (Kuwait) to deliver STEM programmes to their students, either directly with our own teachers or by training their teachers to deliver custom-designed courses.
Looking Ahead
CodeBrave has grown from a grassroots project for 20 children at a single orphanage in 2018 to reaching a total of 4,240 children — with 70% of those reached in the last year.
Next year, we’ll be growing our impact by running programmes in 65 schools across Lebanon. Based on lessons learned this year, our educational programming is now better designed to continue online, ensuring youth can learn regardless of the security situation.
We also plan to collaborate with more private schools to achieve a sustainable funding model. Our aim is to reach 50% self-generated revenue.
We remain on track for our 2027 goal — to equip 20,000 children from disadvantaged backgrounds in Lebanon with the tech skills to lift themselves out of poverty.
Donate
You can contribute to CodeBrave’s work by donating to CodeBrave Foundation, a registered charity in England and Wales, no. 1188692.
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