The short version

We have been successfully running four Django Girls Amsterdam events in the past, starting from May 2024. This is a free, one-day programming workshop for women, powered entirely by the generosity of our sponsors, including a warm, on-site lunch that lets everyone focus on learning, not logistics.

This year, 1.5 months before the event, we unexpectedly lost one of our sponsors. Our lunch budget, which has always been fully covered, currently sits at €0. Therefore, we are reaching out to our community to help us close that gap, so no participant has to choose between a meal and a full day of learning.

Who we are & what we do

We, Ksenia, Alex, Xiaozhou and Claudia, are volunteer organisers who believe the best way to bring more women into tech is to give them what's often missing: a welcoming space instead of an intimidating one, encouragement instead of the "programming isn't for me" doubt, and role models they can actually look up to. Over four successful editions, we've welcomed more than 120 participants to a free, one-day Python/Django programming workshop, supported by friendly, patient coaches in a beginner-welcoming environment.

Our goal has always been simple: increase diversity in tech by giving women a genuinely supportive first (or next) step into programming.

What happened

Thanks to long-term sponsors, lunch on the day has never been something our participants had to think about. This year, that changed. A sponsor we were counting on had to pull out just six weeks before the event, through no fault of anyone involved, just unfortunate timing. That's left a real hole in our budget, specifically for the one thing we didn't want to compromise on: feeding everyone well, on site, on the day.

Why lunch actually matters (it's not just a meal)

What your contribution supports

Every euro raised goes directly toward on-site catering, including lunch and drinks, for participants and coaches on the event. We expect maximum 45 participants and 15 coaches, plus 4 organisers, 2 speakers, based on a budget of €7.5 per person, the total cost is 66 * 7.5 = €495 . After applying a ceiling to it (for some extra snacks), the number we're aiming to raise is: €500.

Goal: €500

Event date: 10 October 2026 (Saturday)

Location: Codam College Amsterdam

⏰ Deadline to reach our goal: 30 September 2026 (Wednesday)

If we end up with any leftover budget, we'll use it for our next event.

Why we are crowdfunding and actively looking for sponsors

Let's be honest about why we're crowdfunding: with less than 4 weeks until the event, a full slate of organising still ahead of us, and all of this run on top of our day jobs -- chasing new sponsors or applying for funding (with all the paperwork and lead time that involves) simply isn't realistic on this timeline. This crowdfunding campaign is our last resort, not our first choice.

That said, if you're a company reading this and thinking "we'd have loved to help," the door is very much still open! Whether it's stepping in for this year, or joining us as a sponsor for future editions so we're never in this position again, we'd love to hear from you. Let's talk.

Real outcomes, not just a nice day out

This isn't a one-off feel-good workshop; it's a stepping stone. Alumni from our past editions have gone on to become data analysts, DevOps engineers, and software engineers, several of them landing their first tech role within a year of attending. When we talk about "increasing diversity in tech," this is what it actually looks like in practice.

How you can help

We've built something that genuinely works over four events. Women who came in nervous and left confident, some now mentoring others, some now working in tech. We don't want a lunch budget to be the reason this year's edition feels any different.

Thank you for helping us keep the table full.

More information about us

Website: https://djangogirls.org/en/amsterdam/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/django-girls-amsterdam

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/djangogirlsams/

With best regards ❤️,

Ksenia, Alex, Xiaozhou and Claudia