Sahar in The Seattle Times

Read about Sahar Education in The Seattle Times ahead of the Washington Give Big campaign on May 7th and 8th!

Sadaf, age 18, joined the inaugural round of the Stealth Sisters program in July 2022, only months after the Taliban closed schools for girls in Afghanistan. Joining the program was an act of desperation for Sadaf — restrictions on women mounted by the day.

Innovative, courageous organizations and individuals are ensuring that the Taliban’s announcement didn’t mean the end of girls’ educational opportunities. Washington-based nonprofit Sahar’s programs, such as Stealth Sisters, teach English and computer skills.

Sadaf completed the program in December 2022 and is now fluent in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, with improved English. By offering online Zoom-based Dari language classes, Sadaf became financially independent.

Perhaps even more critically, like many program graduates, Sadaf experienced increased confidence and willingness to speak up.

Surveys show that program participation immediately addresses feelings of depression and hopelessness caused by the current country conditions, according to Shogofa Amini, Sahar’s programs manager, an Afghan immigrant passionate about women’s empowerment and gender equity.

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