September is a time for Back to School preparations in the United States. Many parents are buying clothes and supplies for their children and looking forward to those first-day photos. However, for girls above grade 6 in Afghanistan, September is just another month with no hope in sight for a reprieve from the oppressive policies of the Taliban.
Girls impacted by the education ban report feeling hopeless and unsure about their futures. Many families already have turned to early marriage in a society where the opportunities for women are dwindling quickly.
Your continued support of Sahar Education is a lifeline for the girls we serve. Our commitment to bringing hope through education to Afghan girls and their communities has not wavered. We continue to search for new partners and opportunities to help more girls.
Please consider supporting the growth of our programs and ongoing efforts to educate Afghan girls through a monthly donation or a one-time contribution. Refer to our events page for opportunities to stretch your donation even further through matching campaigns!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Safer World Fund Matching Campaign with Global Giving
September 11th through January 1st, 2024
Donate to Sahar Education in September through the Safer World Campaign and your contribution will go 50% further! Donations up to $1000 per individual will be matched through January 1st, 2024.
To participate in this campaign, bookmark one of the two listed projects today!
Defy the Taliban, Coding Classes for Afghan Girls
Empower an Afghan Girl to Find Her Voice
Over $40,000 in matching funds are available for projects included in the Safer World Fund this year! Sahar is one of 9 organizations selected to fundraise during this campaign.
September Little By Little Campaign with Global Giving
September 18th through 22nd, 2023
This campaign focuses on how small contributions can make an enormous difference in the lives of people! Each day, Sahar programs change the lives of Afghan girls with your support. On September 18th, donations up to $50 per donor will receive 50% matching! There is no cap on matching funds over the 5 days of this campaign!
Want to help Sahar make an impact on Afghan girls? Share our Global Giving page with your friends, families, and colleagues on social media!
A Night in Afghanistan
Join Sahar Education on October 25th at 6:00 pm for A Night in Afghanistan, a benefit. Enjoy Afghan culture, food, and music, and learn about the continued resistance of Afghan girls!
Hear from Executive Director, Meetra Alokozay, Program Manager, Shogofa Amini, and a special guest about how Afghan girls are resisting the strict edict of the Taliban. Experience Afghan culture without the oppressive lens of the Taliban.
100% of the $100 min donation during the event supports life-changing programs for Afghan women. Donations over $250 receive 100% matching from a generous sponsor.
Tickets are available now! Register today before tickets sell out!
PROGRAM UPDATES
August marked the 5th month of the current Stealth Sisters cohort! The girls have advanced in all areas including English, computers, and women’s empowerment.
Last month, Program Manager Shogofa Amini began interviewing students in this program to get their perspectives on classes. Currently, we are working on producing a documentary in partnership with the on-the-ground program leaders to share more about the brave girls in these courses.
In August, girls in the Stealth Sisters program learned about domestic violence and depression. These hot-button issues led to many debates and discussions which further improved the English and critical thinking skills of the students. Additionally, girls learned about menstrual hygiene and developed strategies for improving mental health.
One of the important impacts of this program is that these topics help girls cope with the situations they face at home and prepare them to have difficult conversations with their friends and families, advocating for themselves and each other against violence, early marriage, and the isolating effects of depression.
GET TO KNOW AFGHANISTAN
Afghan women are no strangers to adversity. Recently, women’s rights activist Mahbouba Seraj confronted the Taliban in a documentary. In a report from Aljazeera, Seraj argued with Taliban representatives on the importance of opening girls’ schools.
“For God’s sake, please open the girls’ schools,” she says. “It is not possible to have a generation that doesn’t go to school.”
However, the answer of the Taliban while not budging on girls’ education, gives hope to Sahar.
The Taliban representative’s response is that “if schoolgirls go against the government” then that could “destabilize the Afghan society.”
“If we don’t agree with the solution that the scholars advise for us, and if they think we are going in the wrong direction, it could cause division and bring down the government.”
Meanwhile, girls are doing just that. Taking back their futures, becoming empowered and perhaps, someday soon, these girls will rise up against the oppression of the Taliban.
Support our programs to help more girls and women defy the Taliban!