Roya is the Founder of the Digital Citizen Fund, a nonprofit organisation in Afghanistan
focused on expanding access to technology and STEM education by equipping girls with
digital skills.
Digital Citizen Fund began in 2013 after Roya realised that many women lacked the
digital and technical skills needed to access employment because they had no access to
technology in school. In response, she established technology centres in public schools
across Afghanistan. The centres provided girls with computer training alongside financial
literacy, entrepreneurship, and coding education. In 2017, the organisation also launched
the Afghan Girls Robotics Team, providing girls with robotics and engineering training.
To date, Digital Citizen Fund has trained more than 28,000 girls in basic computer skills
and established 13 STEM technology centres in schools and two community technology
centres. Its work contributed to the introduction of computers into the national
school curriculum, while many girls went on to start small businesses after receiving
entrepreneurship training. Members of the Afghan Girls Robotics Team competed
internationally in the United States, becoming a symbol of hope and challenging
perceptions of women’s capabilities in Afghanistan. The organisation also established a
20-acre innovation centre preparing young Afghans for careers in engineering, artificial
intelligence, and robotics. Following the Taliban’s return to power, many girls trained
through the programme have continued teaching by running underground schools from
their homes.
Roya attended the 2024 Summit in Montréal, where she was inspired to expand the
organisation’s reach. Following the Summit, she partnered with Afghan Dreamers to
develop mobile applications that expand access to education for students across
Afghanistan. The experience also strengthened her perspective on the role of technology,
education, and human rights in creating lasting social change.
“Being a One Young World Ambassador changed how we operate as an organisation, enabling us to reach our community on a much larger scale.”
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