Mohammed Atalah

-September 2023
LinkedIn

Our story follows an aspiring future entrepreneur Mohammed Atalah, an 18-year-old from the heart of Gaza, Palestine, whose journey through the world of problem-solving is one that wants to change the world and rebel over circumstance, holding weapons like technology and education. 

It all started when Mohammed joined "Code for Palestine", an initiative that sparked his interest in programming, during which Mohammed and his fellow trainees delved deep into developing mobile applications and how to code websites. It was like unlocking a whole new world of possibilities, in that time he heard of a skill called problem-solving. He couldn't help but wonder what made problem-solving so special that people were offering academic courses on it. Following this curiosity at the age of 16, Mohammed signed up for Meshka's problem-solving training. The program began with the fundamentals and stretched over three months, where he showed himself to be the best student in the training through his intensive self-training and his progress.

In 2021, Mohammed participated in the Palestinian Olympiad in Informatics. While he secured the 5th place in Palestine, he knew he had room for improvement. Just two weeks later, he took the bold step of participating in the international competition, despite not ranking high. For him, he was proud to set foot in such a prestigious competition. Later that year, in the PCPC (Palestinian Collegiate Programming Contest), Mohammed clinched first place among university students from Gaza and the 5th place in Palestine while he is still a high school student. 

The following year, Mohammed once again participated in the Palestinian Olympiad in Informatics, this time securing the 4th place and earning a spot in the international arena. Following that, he flew with his Meshka team to Jordan for the Arab Future Programmer Contest, hosted by the University of Applied Science. There, he achieved an impressive 3rd place in Arab Countries, earning himself a prestigious 50% scholarship from Jordan.

In 2022, the PCPC continued to be a stage for his triumphs, with Mohammed winning 1st place in Gaza. Additionally, in the Student Programmer Contest (IC) for school students organized by the Ministry of Education, he secured 1st place in Gaza and Palestine. His success in qualifying for the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) continued for the next year, participating three years in a row in the IOI.

But Mohammed's journey wasn't just about competition and academia. Problem-solving had transformed the way he thought and acted in life. His academic performance Improved, and he became more organized in his daily routines. Some subjects at school seemed more conquerable.

“Problem-solving completely changed the way I think and act in life. I now see things on a wider scale and with more open space. In the practical and scientific subjects at school, I became much better and got higher grades. I also became more organized with my daily life”

Through Meshka, Mohammed cultivated a vast network of connections with students and peers from around the world. This network became a valuable asset in his journey, offering diverse perspectives and support from like-minded individuals.

One of the most cherished aspects of his Meshka experience was the direct communication with highly skilled instructors. They served as a constant source of inspiration and guidance, pushing him to excel. Documenting his progress on a daily basis and sending monthly reports became a motivating ritual. One-on-one progress sessions every two weeks were a tremendous boost, these customized sessions helped him point out exactly what he needed, saving him tons of time.

Ultimately, participating in competitions was a high-energy experience for Mohammed. The desire to win and apply everything he learned fueled his passion. After each competition, he returned with an even stronger thirst for challenges.

As for what lies ahead, Mohammed is aiming high. His sights are set on scholarships at renowned universities like Stanford and MIT, where he hopes to continue his journey of learning and innovation.

But Mohammed's heart remains tied to his homeland, Gaza. His entrepreneurial spirit drives him to solve local education-related problems. He's constantly on the lookout for opportunities to support students in Gaza, closing the gap for Palestinian youth. Being the very first student to join the Meshka program from his city Gaza, it became his social responsibility to spread opportunities to his fellow students. At the moment, he is applying everything he learned through Meshka training on the ground, solving educational and social problems in his hometown and now he is part of Meshka’s team building a program called “Solve for Palestine” to improve the quality of coding education in Palestine with focus on Gaza.