AFGHAN FEMALE STUDENT OUTREACH - How to Support AFSO

Off to Indonesia!

Recipients of the Raoul Wallenberg scholarship to study for a Master of Laws degree at Universitas Islam arrive at Yogyakarta. Deba is second from left.

AFSO students range from 12th-grade graduates to M.A. candidates. Two students holding Bachelor of Laws degrees, Deba A. and Freshta H., competed in a pool of 700 applicants for a special scholarship offered by the esteemed Raoul Wallenberg Institute, to attend the Universitas Islam in Indonesia for two years, earning a Master of Laws degree. They have now arrived and are beginning their studies. Her goal, Deba wrote in her motivation letter, "is to use my legal knowledge to realize human rights so that we can have a society free of violations and work for human rights in all over the world." Congratulations, Deba and Freshta!

Deba A. in the library at Universitas Islam.

AFSO Student Wins Writing Prize

Our own Madina Faramarz has won the 2024 Amplify Afghan Woman Writing Competition, sponsored by a nonprofit group in Australia. Follow the links to read her essay: Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3. Congratulations, Madina!

Learn about AFSO's Journey!

Songs of Love & War

On June 30, 2024, at 4:30 pm, Afghan Female Student Outreach partnered with the Cuatro Puntos Ensemble and Afghan composer Arson Fahim for "Songs of Love and War." Performed at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Pittsfield, MA, the concert drew 100 AFSO supporters in the Berkshires for an afternoon of music and students presentations. We raised $2,500, matching a pledge of $2,000 for a total of $4,500 toward our "Building the Bridge" goal. Cuatro Puntos will be performing again at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts this fall; check their website for more details.

Corporate Support

We are grateful to our partners at Ellii (formerly ESL Library) for supplying the ESL platform that supports ALL our classes, so our students can improve their English as they continue to learn.

We are grateful to the Access for Good team at Ding Connect, the largest international provider of mobile top-up services, for supporting AFSO's data card program for students. Without enhanced mobile data, our students could not access their classes.

For more information on corporate giving and sponsorship opportunities at AFSO, please contact kara@afsousa.org.

How to Support AFSO

AFSO is a light in utter darkness.

--Shaista, AFSO student

A Light Exists . . . in Spring 2025

Our students are moving out of a winter of oppression into a spring of renewed opportunity

As the calendar turns toward spring, we celebrate three occasions of rebirth. International Women's Day marks the renewal of women's strength with its #AccelerateAction campaign. Ramadan is celebrated from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next, demonstrating the cyclical return of fullness and light after darkness. Nawroz, the spring equinox, is the traditional return to school.

Our students at AFSO are likewise starting to bloom after a long winter of oppression by the Taliban. Having honed their skills in English, critical thinking, academic writing, research, and mathematics, they are prepared to pass the TOEFL and apply to institutions of higher education around the world. We have already placed more than a dozen students. As many of our partners are closing down initiatives due to lack of USAID funding, AFSO remains the brightest light university women in Afghanistan have today. This campaign aims to bring that light to the days ahead by funding

TOEFL practice tests and online testing for qualified candidates
Expert international guidance counseling
New partnerships with colleges and universities
For those who secure scholarships, passport renewal, visa costs, and travel costs

This year began with a winter of chaos, fear, and disappointment for many. Now is a chance to invest in hope, knowing that ground well laid will yield plentiful returns. Please give as generously as you are able.

AFSO Giving Circles

Ramadan is a traditional season of giving, and Nawroz marks the return to school

A contribution of $370 educates a woman for a year, and donors can be in touch with the student receiving their gift. CONNECTIONS CIRCLE members know that one-on-one communication is essential to student success.
$2,000 will pay for data packages for 10 women for one year. COMMUNICATORS make it possible for our students to attend classes and communicate with their professors.
$3,700 will educate 10 women for one year. BRIDGE BUILDERS are creating the pathway for our students to complete their education with AFSO and universities outside Afghanistan. In thanks, they receive a book of stories written by AFSO students.
A contribution of $37,000 or more will educate 100 women, one-fifth of the women we serve, for one year. VISIONARIES are the bedrock of our program, assuring that it can continue so long as women in Afghanistan are denied education.

Gifts of all sizes are welcome. $200 will cover data packages for a year of a student's education with AFSO. $123 will cover a student's education for a trimester.

AFSO is a charitable organization, tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Our EIN is 93-1909839.

DONATE NOW

Volunteer with AFSO

AFSO welcomes volunteers of many kinds, especially:

University teaching professionals in all fields of study
Educational administration professionals
Teaching assistants and interns at all levels of higher education

Connect with us on our Contact Page.

A Special Thanks

We are grateful to our supporters for funding Dynamic Placement Testing this fall for all our students. This testing has ensured appropriate placement in classes, better student and faculty retention, and a firmer foundation on which our students can build their future. We hope to continue to offer testing, so donations remain much appreciated!