In a quiet classroom on the edge of a refugee camp in Bangladesh, a Rohingya girl sits in front of a laptop. Just a few months ago, she had never touched a computer. Today, she is learning to code. Her dream? To become a freelancer and support herself with the skills she’s building line by line.
This transformation didn’t start with a keyboard. It started with a meal.
The Problem: Hunger and Interrupted Childhoods
The Rohingya refugee crisis has displaced hundreds of thousands of children, most of them living in precarious conditions in and around Cox’s Bazar. Many are orphans. Almost all face chronic hunger. In these conditions, education becomes a luxury. The mind can’t learn if the body is starving.
But education is more than learning. For displaced children, it’s protection. It’s hope. It’s a way forward.
A Simple But Powerful Idea: Meals and Coding
At Charity Right, we believe no child should have to choose between eating and learning. That’s why we launched the Tech Meals initiative. For just £300, one child can receive daily school meals and coding education for an entire year.
It’s a model we’ve already seen succeed with Hifz students (those memorising the Qur’an). By combining nourishment with focused learning, we help children thrive. Now, we’re bringing the same structure to technology education.
Why coding? Because it’s one of the most accessible and globally in-demand skills. A child in a remote village can learn HTML or Python today and earn online tomorrow. It’s scalable, sustainable, and transformative.
Why Tech Works in Humanitarian Settings
Technology isn’t just for startups and Silicon Valley. In humanitarian settings, it’s often the fastest, lowest-barrier path to empowerment. Coding doesn’t require a degree or formal classroom. With a laptop and internet access, a child can build real-world skills from anywhere.
- Low barrier, high return: Coding requires minimal equipment but offers global opportunities.
- Borderless impact: Freelance platforms and digital tools allow displaced youth to work across borders.
- Resilience through skills: Tech training gives young refugees the tools to navigate uncertainty and build their own livelihoods.
Meet the Girl Who Wants to Freelance
In a different school supported by the same coding initiative, a young Rohingya orphan shared her story in a short video. With wide eyes and quiet determination, she explained how learning to code changed her life.
She now dreams of becoming a freelancer – not because someone told her to, but because she sees it as her path to independence. Her story isn’t unique. But it is powerful proof that when children are fed and taught, they build futures.
Noyon Moni, another student, once only dreamed of playing video games. Now, she’s learning how to build them.
“We’re not just feeding children – we’re preparing them for a world of opportunity.”
– Zahid Mahmood, Founder of Muslim Tech Fest
Why Zahid Mahmood is Involved
Zahid Mahmood is one of the UK’s most respected tech entrepreneurs. He recently raised $100 million for his startup and has built a reputation for innovation and impact.
When Zahid heard about Tech Meals, he immediately saw the potential. He knows firsthand how technology can unlock prosperity. That’s why he’s committed to match-funding the first £10,000 in donations to this campaign.
His support adds not just funding, but credibility. Tech Meals is not a side project. It’s a scalable vision for what humanitarian aid can look like in the digital age.
Why Arfah Farooq is Championing Tech Meals
“I am so excited to support this campaign. Building skills is the best way to support young people and incentivising them with a school meal is just genius. Coding teaches them not just technical skills but also the ability to problem solve.”
— Arfah Farooq, Founder of Muslim Tech Fest
Arfah knows how powerful it is when young people are given tools to build their futures. Her support reflects a growing movement of tech leaders who see humanitarian aid not just as relief – but as investment in potential.
The Campaign: Expanding to Two More Schools
This Ramadan, we’re raising funds to bring meals and coding classes to two additional schools in Bangladesh. That means:
- Daily school meals for children who would otherwise go hungry
- Coding classes led by trained instructors
- Access to laptops, internet, and real mentorship
- A final showcase of the students’ projects
Every child supported is one more future shaped by opportunity, not circumstance.
How You Can Help
This is your chance to be part of something unique.
- £300 sponsors a child for an entire year of meals and coding education.
- Every donation up to £10,000 will be matched pound for pound by Zahid Mahmood.
- You can also support by sharing the campaign, or simply spreading the word.
We believe this is just the beginning. If this campaign takes off, we plan to expand Tech Meals to more schools and communities. It’s a vision of humanitarian aid that feeds the body and empowers the mind.
Donate. Share. Support. Let’s give these children the tools to code their way out of hunger: https://cruk.me/tech-meals
FAQs
What is the Tech Meals campaign?
Tech Meals is a Charity Right initiative that provides both daily school meals and coding education to Rohingya refugee children in Bangladesh. It addresses immediate hunger and builds long-term skills for independence.
Why are school meals paired with coding classes?
Children can’t learn on an empty stomach. By pairing meals with tech education, we help them stay focused in class and gain skills that can lift them out of poverty.
How much does it cost to sponsor a student?
It costs £300 to provide a full year of meals and coding education for one child. Donations are currently being matched pound-for-pound up to £10,000.
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