Coder looks to bridge gap between tech and education

AMMAN — “When people run away from a problem, you look for a solution. It’s like going against the current,” said Hanan Khader.اضافة اعلان

That is how Khader, the founder of Aqar Estate and Hello World Kids, describes being an entrepreneur. She told Jordan News that although she did not consider herself an entrepreneur per se, she does see some entrepreneurial traits in herself. 

Khader learned how to use the computer at a time when nobody had computers. Her dad hired a tutor for her and her siblings, which gave her 10-year-old self a confidence boost.

“The tutor showed me a program, a coding language, and I started tweaking the codes and seeing the results on the program. I loved it. and I still do until now,” Khader said.

She established Aqar Estate, an online portal for real estate, after seeing a problem that required a solution. 

“The problem was obvious. You can’t disagree on that. When it comes to the solution, I thought I could build a portal as I am a technical person,” she said. “And I was a strong believer in the idea. I had no doubt at all that it would succeed.”

She founded the company in 2007, and she said that she quickly learned the hard way that sustaining a company is not the same as creating a product. Nonetheless, it was a success.

After that, in 2015, she had the idea for Hello World Kids, which combined programming and education. Tech experts and educators seldom cross roads. According to the entrepreneur, they are two fields that operate separately.

Therefore, as a coding fanatic and a person passionate about supporting children, she wanted to find a connection between the two fields.

“I’m a programmer, I love kids, and I can simplify things. I was thinking I could do it in a way nobody else could. And I got that feeling of insistence I had before with my previous company,” she said.

As her kids enrolled in school, she said that she felt educational curricula was selling students short. So, Khader’s talent for storytelling allowed her to reach children and discover their talents.

“When I saw what my kids learned in schools, I realized that it is completely irrelevant to their capabilities, their interests, and their futures. Grades and academic outcomes are not a reflection of their performance and talent.”

Teaching coding opens many opportunities for students as they learn different skills of logic, problem solving, and critical thinking. According to Khader, “coding is not an isolated skill.”

She added that “it is a world of limitless opportunities. If you learn coding, you can learn anything. That is why they must be given the chance to learn it.” 

“We leave an impact on the children, their parents, and their societies. When we discover those talents at an early stage, we can invest in them instead of letting them go to waste,” Khader said.

She added that with insistence and patience, she wants to substantially grow her companies.

“I see them being something very big in the future. It will not be local, or regional. It will be global. Building a strong team comes first. And you need to be patient, learn from your mistakes and utilize those lessons,” she said.

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