Abdallah’s Journey

Published on 05/09/2024

Through his coding journey, Abdallah found a sense of purpose.

After joining CodeBrave, Abdallah wins a university scholarship to study Computer Science and interns at a Beirut-based tech company.

“Coding is not just about programming computers; it’s about programming a brighter future for our nation.”

Abdallah joined CodeBrave at age 17 two years ago. He excelled in class and his teachers always spoke about the extra effort he put into his projects. While learning with us, Abdallah won a full scholarship to study Computer Science at LAU. 8 months into our Web Dev Programme, he and three students built a website for their first professional client, Tekmek, a Lebanese engineering firm. Today, Abdallah is interning at a tech company in Beirut while preparing for his third year at university.

From Abdallah

“I am not just a CodeBrave student, I am a testament to the transformative power of opportunities, resilience, and mentorship.

My name is Abdallah, I’m 19 years old, and I’m from Aley. It is my passion for coding that has been my guiding compass along my way. Come with me on my journey through the CodeBrave programme that, for me, has been nothing short of life-altering.

My journey began with a simple belief: that coding and technology can be the catalyst for change. But unfortunately, and like many of my peers, I faced many challenges along my path. I remember myself about 2 years ago feeling a sense of uncertainty about everything in my life facing limited educational resources, especially that I was enrolled in a public high school and the educational situation at that time was not great.

However, my determination led me to apply for the CodeBrave programme which was a guiding star. They saw the potential in me and helped me harness it.

I built websites and games that enriched my skill set and gave me the confidence to dream bigger. I remember myself a couple of months ago working on a game about a spaceship trying to destroy all the asteroids in space and I stayed up all night trying to fix a challenging bug in the code – and when I did it, it was a thrill! That was one of the defining moments of my journey. It taught me the value of persistence and made me realise that overcoming challenges can bring a unique sense of accomplishment.

After 10 months of learning to code, I did an internship as part of the CodeBrave programme where I built a website for an engineering company called Tekmek. It was an amazing hands-on experience that deepened my understanding of the industry and allowed me to apply my skills and knowledge in a real-world setting.

And I just finished my second year at LAU where I won a full scholarship to study Computer Science.

Through my journey, I’ve learned that knowledge can create opportunities. I’ve grown so much and I now feel a sense of purpose.

My story is just one of many that illustrate the potential of coding education in Lebanon. I want to leave you with this thought: Coding is not just about programming computers; it’s about programming a brighter future for our youth and our nation.

In the words of a great thinker, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” Let us dream big, work together, and create a future where every young mind in Lebanon has the chance to shine.”

Visit our Get Involved page for more details of how to support students like Abdallah.

NB: This blog, like all our blogs, has been published with the final review and consent of the student in question. The student’s name has been modified for child safeguarding purposes.