Support Girls' Education in Afghanistan

Thank you for your generous donation to Support Girls’ Education in Afghanistan.

2023 was another difficult year for girls and women in Afghanistan. The only country, where women and girls are banned from education and employment. These days, women are not even allowed to leave their homes without a male family member – quite a dark picture in this day and age.

Despite the enormous challenges, we would like to inform you that, out of the 147 female scholarships recipients in the academic year 2023, 141 girls passed their final exams and have moved on to the next grades. 92 girls (grades 7-12) studied in our underground classes last year, and 24 continued their education in one of our schools via segregated classes taught by women teachers. The remaining 31 girls attended our regular schools as they were below grade 7. We are pleased to hear that seven students graduated high school last year. 

Please know that since the inception of the program in 2016, we have provided 613 scholarships for Hazara girls, who face incredible hardships due to the intersectional factors of gender, race and religion in Afghanistan. Over the years, many of our students have obtained admission in colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, Bangladesh, and in continental Europe. This is a testament to the success of our community-led educational programs.

Though the Taliban ministry of education does not approve the final transcripts for the girl students between grades 7-12 due to the ban, nonetheless, our schools provide certificates that the girls have successfully passed the final exams and that they are eligible for the next grades. Our hope is that when the ban is lifted at some point in the future – the certificates will stand as evidence of completion of each grades.

2024 will remain a difficult year for girls and women in Afghanistan. According to the UNICEF, 330,000 girls will be deprived from secondary school education this year. The only recourse for girls, ages 13 and above, are religious schools or Madrassas. However, according to our educators on the ground, the Madrassas do not include subjects like Math, Physics, Chemistry and English, and only focus on Islamic studies and therefore, far from a compete education. Many parents, particularly in Hazara areas, would prefer not sending their daughters to Madrassas.  

In light of the above, it is more important than ever, to help alternative locally-led educational programs that make education accessible for girls. Programs like the ones offered in our regular schools and underground schools. Please see our previous report to learn about the girls education programs. 

The new academic year is beginning in a few days. With your help, we will continue our scholarship program that has become a beacon of hope in the marginalized and persecuted Hazara communities in Afghanistan. Our goal is to raise the funds to provide 300 scholarships this academic year. 

Thank You,

Timor + the Bamyan Foundation Team

Links:

• Bamyan Foundation's Scholarship Program
• Scholarship Reports