Leen’s Journey
Published on 22/04/2025
A trailblazer for girls in STEM
“I want to encourage young girls like me to dive headfirst into these fields because this is where the future is.”
Leen’s story shows the ripple effect of mentorship and opportunity. At the age of 14, Leen had never written a single line of code. Today, at just 17, Leen is a UNICEF advocate for girls in STEM, has represented Lebanon at MWC Barcelona, and is a trailblazer for young women in tech.
Leen, like many students in Lebanon, faced immense barriers to education starting in 2020 — pandemic lockdowns, power outages, teacher strikes, an economic crisis, and even war.
With all these setbacks, she lost interest in learning. “In Grade 9, I stopped submitting assignments. I stopped inventing things, which used to be my favourite thing. I stopped believing in myself.”
Then came the Beirut blast. Her father, who worked nearby, narrowly escaped harm. But the community’s reaction after the blast really moved her: “Beirut started being rebuilt the following day. If this city can rebuild itself for the eighth time, why can’t I rebuild my life too?”
Leen’s Impressive List of Achievements
- Named a UNICEF advocate for girls in STEM and represented Lebanon at MWC Barcelona in March 2025
- Selected as one of three girls from Lebanon for the prestigious U.S. State Department-funded TechGirls exchange programme
- Founded “Nova Gen”, a non-profit initiative to encourage girls to explore STEM that runs intro sessions in public schools
- Awarded a full scholarship to study Mechanical Engineering at the Lebanese American University
- Became the youngest technical team leader at AllGirlsCode at the American University of Beirut, where she led sessions for university students
Finding CodeBrave
“In 2021, I was in ninth grade with zero interest in technology. I was a girl in Lebanon. We were ‘supposed’ to be pharmacists and teachers—not computer scientists. But then, life led me to CodeBrave, and my whole life seemed to change when I wrote my first lines of code.”
Over one year with CodeBrave, Leen built skills to become a front-end web developer, including how to leverage AI. But she found more than tech skills—she found belonging. She learnt Python, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, and she worked with her teacher, Marwa, who became a role model. She also completed an internship with a South African NGO (NNI), building their website
“I made friends. I gained confidence. My sessions became a beacon of hope.”
Hear it from Leen
“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.”
“I want to build inventions that make my country better. You might not find your Mrs. Marwa, but female leaders are here, pushing past societal limitations. Just look at Beirut—fighting and rising from the ashes again. You must be your own guiding force.”
~Excerpt from Leen’s speech at a CodeBrave event
Today, as a proud ‘steminist’, Leen has come full circle—from learner to leader, empowering the next generation of girls. Her journey is a powerful reminder that when girls are given the tools and support, they don’t just thrive—they lead.
Visit our Get Involved page to support more students like Leen.
NB: This blog, like all our blogs, has been published with the final review and consent of the student in question.