DEHRADUN: In a unique initiative, a 16-year-old teenager, originally from Dehradun but currently based out of Saudi Arabia, launched online classes — ‘Coding for Covid-19’ — with an objective to deploy the money generated through the initiative for Covid relief.
The boy, Aaryan Singhal, teaches elementary and middle school students fundamentals of computer science, game development and web development. He conducts two online sessions per day and has set up a campaign on a fundraising platform to raise $15 per student-hour generated through his programming classes. The teen has already raised $7000 (over Rs 5 lakh) from the initiative which has been donated to the Uttarakhand CM’s Covid Relief Fund.
Speaking to TOI, the young teacher said that he started the project to help children at a time when the pandemic had hit their education adversely. “I empathise with the underprivileged. I am always looking for ways through which I can use my skills to reach out to people in need,” he said.
One of his students, 13-year-old Mateo Maz Beltran, whom TOI contacted, said, “In today’s globalised and highly competitive world, coding skills have become necessary for the job market. Coding promotes both logical and creative thinking.” Beltran is a Class VII student from Colombia.
Maryan Khan, a Class VI student who is also taking the online classes, added, “It was slightly challenging at first but I have now got the hang of it. Coding is really fun and you can create new games or apps with it using your imagination.”
Meanwhile, the teenager’s parents, Gagan and Parul Singhal, said that they were proud of Aaryan’s commitment towards social causes. “It makes us proud that our son has committed himself to a social cause at such a young age. The dedication with which he has been sharing his knowledge with other children is commendable.”
