By Faten Omar

KUWAIT: CODED concluded its pioneering “Academy X” initiative, the first of its kind in Kuwait, designed to enhance the skills of 300 female students aged 14 to 18. The program empowered young women through technology and coding education, providing them with essential skills for future opportunities in the digital field.

During the closing ceremony, Hashim Behbehani, Co-Founder & COO at CODED, remarked, “We observed a gap and a lack of equal opportunities between males and females in recent years within the field of entrepreneurship, particularly in the technology sector. Our research indicated that the primary issue was the absence of workshops specifically designed for young women, aimed at guiding them from zero knowledge to advanced skills in entrepreneurship. To address this, we launched the ‘Academy X’ initiative. By God’s grace, this initiative has surpassed expectations, successfully training over 340 students.”

“We extend our thanks and gratitude to the parents of the students for encouraging their daughters to join this program, from which they will see great returns for their daughters’ futures, God willing,” he said , adding that all these positive achievements would not have been possible without the support of our strategic partners and sponsors.

“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kuwait University, which provided its prestigious facility for our initiative; Zain Group, a consistent leader in supporting women; Gulf Insurance Group, which highlights the vital role of Kuwaiti youth; Talabat, an icon in the tech world and a source of inspiration; and Agility, which exemplifies equal opportunities for men and women in the workplace. We also thank our media sponsors—Kuwait Times, Kuwait News, and M2R Group—whose efforts helped amplify the reach of this initiative to the widest possible audience in Kuwait,” he added.

Media sponsors

The initiative received widespread attention, with Kuwait Times and Kuwait News serving as the media sponsors, helping to promote the program’s achievements and inspiring the next generation of female tech leaders in the region. Jana Alnaqeeb, Public Relations and CSR Manager of Kuwait Times and Kuwait News, said “We are proud to be a part of the “Academy X” initiative, a groundbreaking program designed to empower young women by helping them develop their skills in AI and business.

Kuwait Times and Kuwait News keened to highlight this first-of-its-kind initiative and its importance in providing opportunities for young people.” She added that as a part of its commitment to social responsibility, Kuwait Times and Kuwait News are dedicated to supporting such impactful initiatives, ensuring that future generations of women have the tools and resources they need to thrive in an ever-evolving digital world, noting that media role is important to shed light on their projects that they innovate at the academy.

“Academy X” initiative is a free program for girls aged 14 to 18, offered by CODED Academy in collaboration with major companies and institutions as part of a strategic partnership aimed at empowering Kuwaiti youth and enhancing their capabilities in technological fields and entrepreneurship.

CODED was established in Kuwait in 2015 as the first programming academy in the Middle East. Since its inception, the academy has completed over one hundred and fifty training programs both within and outside Kuwait, graduating more than 1,500 students from various educational levels and age groups, ranging from five to fifty years old, across various professional and academic fields.