I left Afghanistan for Cork when Taliban seized power... now I want to help other women

Najla Ahmadyar moved from her native country, Afghanistan, to Cork in 2021 to take up a role with technology company Zartis, and to leave behind the restrictions of her home country after the fall of the government when the Taliban seized power.

A career as a Senior Software Engineer in a stable country was what she was looking for, where she could freely follow her dream, live her life the way she wanted in peace, and not have anyone or any circumstance decide her future.

“But what I got was so much more, including endless opportunities, and so much support and kindness,” said Najla, who is now delighted to call Cork her home.

After graduating from the Computer Engineering and Informatics Faculty of Kabul Polytechnic University in 2017, she became a leading figure in work that empowered women in the tech industry.

“I was the ambassador for a Women TechMakers Kabul programme and an organising member of the Google developers group, which is a community programme to help technologists with networking, resources, and opportunities to share and engage with others. It still runs globally, but unfortunately, not anymore in Afghanistan due to the situation there.

“I had been craving the connection of an equivalent group since I came to Cork. I found it in a roundabout way when I was searching for a mentoring group for help to deal with a very specific issue – starting my own podcast.

“I needed another person to look through my ideas and to give feedback, and that’s when I came across Network Cork,” she explained.

The 29-year-old went along to her first meeting last January and has never looked back.

“I knew straight away that I was in the right place – there were people from all backgrounds and all professions, and everyone was so welcoming. Irish people had been kind to me from the very beginning, but I knew from that moment that Cork was going to be my home – I had found that part of me that I had left in Afghanistan,” she said.

She was honoured with the STEM Professional award at this year’s Network Cork Businesswomen of the Year Awards – something she was really excited about.

Judges described her as a “strong role model for other women in STEM”.

“She recognises the need to assist other women from challenging or restrictive backgrounds with her innovative bootcamps for women in Kabul, and for those in other challenged circumstances to gain employment in STEM globally,” her citation read.

They highlighted her work as the co-founder of Kick-Start bootcamp, an educational programme dedicated to teaching software development and empowering marginalised groups, particularly Afghan women.

Thanks to the initiative, over 100 students were taught the basic and essential skills of software development, while more than 20 were able to graduate and find a remote job in global companies and support themselves and their families in the current situation.

“Girls can’t go to school or college in Afghanistan, so the idea is to give them some basic knowledge that might equip them with skills to start remote jobs in the software development field. I was very lucky to leave, but I felt a duty of care to help those who haven’t, and I’m happy to say that those taking part are thriving,” she said.

“I have opportunities, and I feel this is the very least I can do.

Najla lived in the city when she first came to Cork.

“But thanks to the help of the government and my company, my family has now joined me in the last two years, and we live in Cobh where we’re very happy,” she said.

Najla can’t envisage a future where she will return to Afghanistan.

“I’d love to go back to visit but not to live – the current situation is too difficult for women, especially as I’m enjoying my career and couldn’t imagine not being able to work. That would be very difficult mentally. Besides, I’m very happy here – the people, nature, all the greenery, this is my home now.”