The Safer World Fund

Thank you for your incredible support of the Safer World Fund. Because of compassionate hearts like yours, we raised more than $107,000 for communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Here are just a few examples of the powerful impact you helped support through the strength of community.

Amid uncertainty and ongoing restrictions on girls and women’s education and freedoms in Afghanistan, your generosity helped Sahar Education begin developing a revolutionary app for girls unable to attend underground programs. This app will soon offer safe access to life-changing tools and resources. In 2025 alone, you helped Sahar Education’s programs reach over 750 women and girls—95% of whom reported increased self-confidence, improved mental health, and a readiness to pursue further education or income-generating opportunities.

Because of your support, a 6-year-old girl in Afghanistan spoke for the first time in 18 months after regularly visiting Charmaghz’s Yellow Mobile Library. The safe and nurturing environment of the library gave her the space to open up and begin expressing herself again.

You also stood beside Ms. Sumbul, a trained medical professional who lives on-site at one of six medical facilities HOPE has established in the mountainous terrain of northern Pakistan. With your help, she can provide free or low-cost healthcare to 250–300 patients each week, sometimes walking two hours each way just to reach those who cannot visit the clinic.

As we reflect on all we’ve accomplished, we recognize how vital it is to continue supporting these life-saving efforts. Tensions in the region are rising, restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan are tightening, and communities are struggling after the sudden halt of USAID funding.

But together, we are building stronger, more resilient communities by trusting local leaders and standing with those who need us most. Thank you for being such an important part of this effort. Your compassion is changing lives.

Last year’s Safer World Fund campaign has concluded, with donors like you contributing a total of $70,520. Together, you supported 10 organizations working to improve education, health, and livelihoods in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a focus on women and girls. Your impact went even further thanks to $40,000 in matching funds.

Here are some of the amazing ways your donations were put to work:

You’ve helped women like Satayesh, age 23, learn basic literacy skills.

One of Afghan Institute of Learning’s most effective classes is a four-month Mobile Literacy program where students are given mobile phones and taught how to use them. Students answer questions from the teacher by text message. In last year’s program, 350 women began with very basic literacy, with some not knowing the alphabet. By the end of the program, 86% were reading at a fourth grade level! Texting is used to accelerate literacy acquisition and to create social bonds between classmates and friends reducing isolation. Students love this format, and, unsurprisingly, text much more than required by the syllabus.

You’ve helped women like Razia, an Afghan returnee from Iran, achieve her dream of education.

Upon her return to Afghanistan, Razia was required to present sufficient documents and be of a specific age to be admitted to traditional public school. Otherwise, they could attend only literacy classes or night school. While searching to find a school to fulfill her dream, she almost lost hope. Finally, Razia learned about a school run by Aid Afghanistan for Education in Kabul. She said, “When I saw students of my age, I was always motivated and realized that there is no age restriction to get an education.” Razia has since turned 28 years old and earned her high school diploma. She wants to be an active voice for Afghan women and girls by becoming a journalist. She will begin studying journalism this summer at one of the prestigious universities in Kabul.

You’ve helped 65 girls learn how to build an e-commerce website.

The flexible funding you give to organizations like Dawood Global Foundation - Educate a Girl allows them to pivot and offer extended e-commerce training to their students. They were able to expand their 16-hour course into six weeks, so that the girls participating could better learn both how to build a website and how to tweak it to optimize for search engines.

Donations to the Safer World Fund will support the three organizations mentioned above along with seven other causes. There is still much work to be done to support communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, so thank you for being part of the Safer World Fund!