A bootcamp built for women and girls in Afghanistan
The 2026 Web & AI Development Bootcamp is a 12-week, fully-live program created specifically for women and girls in Afghanistan — at a time when their access to technology education has been disproportionately constrained.
We received more than 280 applications from across Afghanistan. After a careful selection process, 50 participants were admitted. With generous support from the Linda Norgrove Foundation, 30 learners were awarded full scholarships and 24 are receiving internet packages so they can stay connected to classes. CodeWeekend is also working to provide personal laptops for those who don’t yet have one.
Program structure: step by step
The bootcamp is designed to guide learners from the basics of technology to building real projects they can share proudly.
1. Foundations
Students begin with computer basics, the internet, Git, and essential digital tools — building confidence with the core literacy needed for everything that follows.
2. Frontend Development
Learners move on to HTML, CSS, JavaScript, responsive design, and the React framework — learning to create modern, user-friendly websites and applications.
3. Introduction to AI
Participants explore the growing field of artificial intelligence, including how to connect large language models (LLMs) to web applications in practical ways.
4. Capstone Project
The bootcamp ends with a capstone where each student designs and develops their own application — presented at a Demo Day to celebrate their progress.
By combining guided lessons with hands-on practice, the bootcamp helps learners gain both strong technical skills and the confidence to use them in the real world.
Who teaches
This year’s bootcamp is led by Jamshid Hashimi, who guides students through the structured curriculum. Alongside him, a group of dedicated female mentors from Afghanistan and abroad join live sessions to share professional experiences, answer questions, and encourage learners with their own stories.
This mentorship helps students see what is possible — reminding them that a career in technology is within their reach.
Early student achievements
Even in the first weeks, students have already begun to create inspiring projects.
Mahdia Khamoosh from Panjshir built and launched her own personal website from scratch — a platform where her voice can be seen and heard. Other students have developed creative movie platforms, complete with features to display films and highlight talent. These are not just technical exercises — they are reflections of creativity and resilience.
Future cohorts
Our plans for 2026 and beyond include expanding the bootcamp to reach more students, building new AI-focused learning tracks alongside web development, and strengthening partnerships and funding opportunities. If you’d like to be notified when the next cohort opens, subscribe below or email us at hello@codeweekend.net.