(January 20, 2024) For countless years, girls have often found themselves on the sidelines when it comes to the field of software development. Whether due to societal expectations, limited opportunities, or outdated stereotypes, a barrier has existed, keeping many young girls from exploring this industry. However, a remarkable 13-year-old is reshaping the narrative. Kyra Anand, a young coder based in Dubai, founded the ‘Girls Do Code’ initiative at the tender age of 10. Amidst the COVID-19 lockdowns, Kyra adeptly learned Scratch and Python online. Recognizing the glaring underrepresentation of women in the tech industry, this young coder established the initiative with the aim of inspiring more girls to explore coding and technology.
“I created ‘Girls Do Code’ as I really love coding myself, and I am passionate about getting more women into coding. I truly believe that girls are capable of doing anything. While I was learning a few coding languages from my father, I noticed that several of the girls in my class – though curious – didn’t know where to learn these languages. So, I established a platform where everyone can learn the nuances of these languages from,” shared the young coder, who is also a Diana Award winner.
Starting young
Born and brought up in the United Arab Emirates, Kyra was always fascinated by coding languages, and all the cool things one can create after learning them – an interest she shares with her father. However, during the pandemic, while she was learning these languages from her father, Kyra noted a lack of similar passion for technology among the girls around her. It was this realisation that prompted her to take the initiative in spreading her love for technology among her friends and in society at large.
“I realised it was only them, but it was almost all the girls in my grade in school that really weren’t interested in technology, and I was shocked because I love technology so much,” said the coder, who is currently a student at the Jumeirah College. After a bit of survey, where she connected with girls her age in Dubai and India, the youngster proposed the idea of establishing a teaching platform to her father, who was more than happy to assist her in the endeavour.
“My father really supported me through this journey. I knew a bit of coding, however, putting it all together was still a bit of a task for me. He helped me figure out a lot of things, and I am very grateful for that. At that time, I was also teaching a few of my cousins, and my sole mission was to launch Girls Do Code as a project to provide coding education to girls in my community,” the coder shared, who enthusiastically approached her teachers to organise coding sessions during lunch breaks at school and after school hours.
A young visionary
With time, however, Girls Do Code became bigger. The initiative broadened its outreach, and Kyra collaborated with organisations – in Dubai and India – to provide education to underprivileged and street children. “I thought why not share this passion with a lot more girls and maybe help them gain interest? So, then I started teaching my community, taught my cousin, and then my mother told me about an organisation called Harmony House in India. They didn’t have a computer programme, so I thought I should teach them,” the coder expressed.
Connecting India and the UAE through technology, Kyra began conducting classes via Zoom while teaching her local community face-to-face. The coder starts by teaching young girls Scratch, a computer language that helps develop logical thinking skills, and then progresses to Python. “I have taught around 36 children today including Code to Care volunteers who are the volunteers in my school who want to help GDC,” the Global Indian said.
Kyra believes that coding is an essential life skill that nurtures logical and structured thinking, benefiting everyone. Her impact goes beyond coding, as seen in her ‘G.I.V.E. initiative,’ where she raises funds for charities and organises community activities throughout the year. Talking about what is keeping her busy these days, the young coder said, “Currently, I am working on an inventive project that involves developing a system capable of identifying whether someone is wearing a mask or not using their webcam.”
