STUDENT STORY
From Caregiver to Creator
How Cristina found new purpose in tech—without leaving her humanity behind
Meet Cristina Dias
Empathetic soul. Lifelong learner. Fiercely resilient.
Cristina Dias, 43, lives in the quiet Viseu district of Portugal. She’s a mother of two—one grown, one still her shadow. Her days are a balancing act: working as an administrative at a dental pharmacy, caring deeply for her community, and living with a rare health condition that brings constant uncertainty.
But if there's one thing Cristina knows how to do, it's adapt.
"I live with a condition that could stop my heart. But here I am—still going. This course didn’t just give me digital skills. It gave me hope, direction, and a chance to help others again. That’s everything to me."
Cristina Dias
Student from Descodifica-te #3, 2025
Behind the scenes
Favourite tool
Wix
Favourite mission
Adalo mobile app
Biggest challenge
Rebuilding confidence post-diagnosis
Most valuable learning
"You never know everything—there’s always more to learn."
What’s next for Cristina?
Project Highlight
In the final stage of the Cohorts, students have the opportunity to create a Capstone Project to showcase what they have learned across the journey. They have the liberty to use whichever tool they want or even explore new ones, promoting their critical thinking and proactivity. Always with the support of our Mentors.
Project Name: + Queirã
Client: Junta de Freguesia de Queirã (Cristina’s current workplace)
Mission: Create a citizen-friendly mobile app to modernize local services
Tools: Adalo, no-code mapping features, calendar integration
Results:
Cristina developed the app during the program, and it was implemented immediately by her local government. And all of it built by Cristina—self-taught, determined, and glowing with pride.
A clear example of how no-code can empower real change in individuals and in communities.
“This project consumed me—in the best way. I’m proud of how autodidact and persistent I was. Bring on more challenges!”
Project Features
- History of the parish and local leaders
- Live reporting of public issues (like flooding) via geolocation
- Citizen scheduling for public service meetings
- Direct connection between residents and municipal services
