Shayesta Haqjo

Shayesta Haqjo

Aspiring Computer Science Student passionate about innovation and creating positive impact.

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About Me

A Little About My Journey

Growing up in Afghanistan, I quickly realized that education and opportunities were not guaranteed for girls. Schools were closed, resources were limited, and discrimination based on ethnicity, gender, and class made even basic learning a challenge.

I refused to accept that my future could be dictated by bias. I taught myself coding, web development, and design through online platforms, learning by experimenting, building, and solving problems. This self-directed journey taught me that technology is a powerful tool for expanding access and opportunity.

I want to pursue Computer Science to deepen my technical skills and build educational technology that serves my community. My goal is to create accessible software solutions that open doors for students facing the same barriers I did. I approach each challenge with curiosity, persistence, and the belief that technology can drive meaningful change.

View My Resume

Programming & Web

Python HTML CSS JavaScript WordPress LLMs Fundamentals Git & GitHub Responsive Design

Design & Tools

Canva Figma Premier Pro Miro Google Workspace

Languages

Dari English Pashto Urdo

Soft Skills

Communication Problem Solving Cross-Cultural Collaboration Leadership Mentoring

Experience

My Journey So Far

school Education
Mar 2025 - Jan 2026

Girls to Uni Program | Kaaj Educationopen_in_new

  • Completed intensive 10-month academic residency, earned Grade A in all courses
  • Completed courses in ESL, academic writing, digital literacy, and web development
  • Developed Kaaj Café website a community platform for Kaaj alumni
Feb 2025 - Oct 2025

Professional Learning Center

  • Gained proficiency in HTML, CSS, Python, WordPress
  • Strengthening academic writing and research skills
  • Preparing for university-level computer science study
Mar 2025 - Dec 2025

High School (12th Grade) | Firdowsi High Schoolopen_in_new

  • Graduated with 4.0 GPA
  • Nasle Nau volleyball team member
  • Conducted collaborative research projects on STEM education
Nov 2023 - Dec 2024

Thrive Afghanistan Program Kiron Open Higher Educationopen_in_new

  • Studied web development, graphic design, and digital marketing through a 6-month, 70+ hour program
  • Gained experience building websites, brand design, and content strategy for digital platforms
  • Completed capstone projects and peer-reviewed assignments in digital technology
2011 - 2022

Sajadia Number Yak High School (Grads 1-11)

  • Graduated with 4.0 GPA.
  • First Place, Province-Wide Essay Competition (Balkh, 2020)
  • British Council School Projects Participant
starExtracurricular Activities
2026 - Present

Learner Advisory Board | Kiron Open Higher Educationopen_in_new

  • Represented students' needs in feedback cycles to improve learner experience.
  • Evaluated course accessibility and usability for 197,000+ learners globally.
  • Collaborated with academic and product teams to support inclusive program design.
Mar 2025 - Nov 2025

Co-Founder & Technology Lead | Rebuild with STEAM

  • Co-founded an initiative to address the gab in digital education of Afghan youth.
  • Delivered 4+ hours of digital literacy and coding sessions weekly.
  • Designed STEAM activities to build creativity and confidence in technology.
Sep 2025 - Dec 2025

Student Coordinator | Education Bridge for Afghanistanopen_in_new

  • Coordinated TLM certification prep for 30+ students, organizing schedules, tracking progress, and connecting them with resources
  • Facilitated communication between students and instructors for timely support.
Oct 2025 - Dec 2026

Designer Intern | Kabul Scholarship Portalopen_in_new

  • Designed posters that simplified and breaking down information barriers in scholarship application for Afghan students.
  • Increased accessibility to international opportunities through clear, culturally-relevant visuals.
Aug 2024 - Oct 2024

Teacher Assistant | Flying Wingsopen_in_new

  • Assisted teachers in delivering lessons and preparing learning materials for 100+ students.
  • Reinforced key concepts through one-on-one support and tracked student progress to maintain engagement.

Recognitions & Memberships

Selected & Verified by External Organizations

Girls For Girls Leadership Certificate — Women in Tech, sponsored by CFLI/FCIL

Girls For Girls Leadership Training

Women in Tech | Sponsored by CFLI/FCIL | 2024

Selected for an international leadership program in collaboration with Women in Tech, focusing on professional development, cross-cultural mentorship, and women's advancement in technology.

Women Ascension — Certificate of Membership, ID WA_M_25_123

Women Ascension Member

Membership ID: WA_M_25_123 | 2025

Member of a global nonprofit uniting 5 continents through scholarships, mentorship, and leadership programs for gender equality. Participated in leadership workshops, built cross-cultural professional networks, and contributed to initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Certificates

Certifications & Training

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Python Programming

State University of New York College at Potsdam | 2025

Computational thinking, data structures, and algorithm development through hands-on projects.

Projects: 5 Capstone Project
Python Programming Certificate
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Boost Your Career with AI

Kiron Open Higher Education | 2026

Nine-week blended program covering prompt engineering, custom AI-powered bots, industry applications, ethical AI use, and a real-world capstone project.

Capstone: Real-World AI Project
Kiron Boost Your Career with AI Certificate
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AI Fluency for Students

Certificate of Completion

Developed practical understanding of AI tools, ethical use, and applications in education.

Issued by Anthropic
open_in_new View Certificate
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Web Develoment

Certificate of Completion

Learn web development: HTML structure, styling with CSS, and scripting with JavaScript.

Credential ID: 8BLX6FPBR8IR
open_in_new View Certificate
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Google Workspace

Professional Certificate

Master essential productivity tools including Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive, and Calendar.

Credential ID: KM1VROYH3HOL
open_in_new View Certificate
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Prompt Engineering

Certificate of Completion

Learn to craft effective AI prompts for optimal results in language model tasks.

Credential ID: CC-J5F7QKV6
open_in_new View Certificate
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LLMs Fundamentals

Professional Certificate

Understand large language models, their applications, and ethical considerations in AI.

Credential ID: CC-ZDPVAHHT
open_in_new View Certificate
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WordPress Website develoment

Certificate of Completion

Develop and launch a complete website using WordPress, including themes and plugins.

Credential ID: EL8UE9WPKBP2
open_in_new View Certificate
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Personal & Professional Productivity

University of California, Irvine

Completed a foundational course on qualitative and quantitative research methods, research design, and ethical academic inquiry.

Credential ID: FYDEARL7P77M
open_in_new View Certificate
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Emerging Talent

21st Century Girls | 2025

Selected for excellence in coding projects, digital problem-solving, and commitment to using technology for social impact

Focus: Future-ready Skills
Emerging Talent Certificate
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Academic Writing

University of California, Irvine

Build strong academic writing skills for research papers, essays, and university communication.

Credential ID: NRN39FABF5RY
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Graphic Design Basics

California Institute of the Arts

Learn design principles, typography, color theory, and visual communication techniques.

Credential ID: EBDC6XE4B6MK
open_in_new View Certificate
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Research Methods

University of London

Completed a foundational course on qualitative and quantitative research methods, research design, and ethical academic inquiry.

Credential ID: AT3SM08H46LR
open_in_new View Certificate
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Thrive Afghanistan

Kiron | 6-month Program

Sales strategy, digital marketing, content creation, and graphic design for women entrepreneurs.

Impact: 70+ hours training
Thrive Afghanistan Certificate
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Girls to Uni Graduate

Kaaj Education • March 2025 - Jan 2026

Selected for an intensive 10-month academic residency. Achieved Grade A honors in Digital Literacy and Advanced ESL, demonstrating mastery in technical communication.

Impact: 10 months / Grade A in all coursework

Academic Credentials

Certificate Certificate
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Recent Works

Featured Projects

Afghan Girls' Education Storybook
Featured Project

A digital storybook transforming the struggles of Afghan girls denied education into hopeful narratives of resilience. Reached 200+ readers across 10 countries within 3 months, highlighting learning and community as pathways to growth.

auto_storiesRead the Story
Kaaj Café Website
Web Development

Mission-driven website for Kaaj Alumni, highlighting a social-impact café where each purchase supports girls' education, digital skills, and university access.

codeView Site
ScholarPath AI — AI-powered university and scholarship guidance assistant
AI Assistant

ScholarPath is an AI-powered university and scholarship advisor built on Fobizz. Engineered 5-function system prompt for personalized university matching and step-by-step application roadmaps. Integrates real-time Web Search via Claude 4.5. Built on ethical AI principles: no fabricated data, student privacy protected.

smart_toyTry ScholarPath AI
Cell Biology Visual Series
Educational Design

Comprehensive visual learning materials explaining complex cell biology concepts in Dari/Pashto. Distributed to 200+ students through Sajadia Number Yak High School and peer education networks

Read to Lead Bookstore — responsive e-commerce website
E-Commerce Website

Read to Lead Bookstore is a fully responsive site with dynamic book listings, real-time search, category filtering, and a functional shopping cart with order confirmation. Features dark/light mode, multilingual support (English, Dari, Pashto) with RTL layout, and ARIA accessibility enhancements.

codeView Project
DNA/RNA 3D Models
Science & Design

Developed physical 3D models of DNA/RNA to facilitate STEM learning in low-resource environments. Bridging the gap between biological theory and physical visualization.

FEKRA Design Competition Winner
Award Winner

First place winner in FEKRA's national graphic design competition. Synthesized complex social advocacy into visual storytelling, demonstrating the intersection of cultural design and social impact.

Unity & Healing Art
Visual Art

By embedding global symbols within a soaring dove, my art transforms 'Unity & Healing' from a title into a visual reality, using collective symbolism to mend trauma and inspire peace.

Let's Connect

Always Happy to Meet New People

Let's build something great!

I'm always interested in connecting with people passionate about education, technology, and social impact. Feel free to
Send me an email. 👋

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Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan

© 2026 Shayesta Haqjo. All rights reserved.