Zain digitally empowers over 500 girls and young women

KUWAIT: Zain announced the successful conclusion of the second edition of the Academy X program in strategic partnership with CODED Academy, which delivered an intensive training experience for female school and university students in technology and innovation. The program extends Zain’s efforts to empower girls and women digitally and connect national talent with opportunities in the knowledge economy.

This year’s edition trained more than 500 students, bringing the total number of participants since the program’s launch to over 800 across two years. The curriculum covered foundational and advanced tracks in programming, web and app development, cybersecurity, introductions to artificial intelligence and data analysis, in addition to design, user experience, presentation skills and teamwork. The program adopted a project-based learning approach under the supervision of specialized trainers.

Zain’s team and partners with CODED officials.

Participants delivered more than 100 projects this year and 79 projects took part in the closing ceremony, which featured jury evaluations and strong community engagement, with more than 9,000 votes cast to select the standout projects. This contributed to deepening participants’ hands-on experience and showcasing tech solutions with community impact in education, health, sustainability and services.

The program strengthened the partnership ecosystem between Zain and CODED through integrated pathways to build and refine digital skills, starting with workshops and bootcamps and extending to business incubators and final competitions. This helped prepare students for the job market and boost their confidence in turning ideas into viable prototypes, while providing valuable mentoring and networking opportunities with industry experts and emerging tech companies.

Zain affirms its continued investment in high-quality programs that hone digital capabilities among youth, especially girls and women, and its expansion of collaboration with public and private partners to launch new editions and programs that reinforce Kuwait’s position as a hub for tech talent. Zain also recently concluded the fourth season of the Kuwait Codes program in strategic partnership with CODED. The program graduated more than 1,000 students this year, bringing the total number of graduates to 4,500 since its launch, an achievement that reflects the strength of the partnership and the joint effort to empower Kuwaiti youth and build their skills for an economy based on digital innovation.