Afghan Girls Financial Assistance Fund Inc

AFGHAN GIRLS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FUND, INC. ("AGFAF") PROMOTES GENDER, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EQUALITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN AND AFGHAN REFUGEES THROUGH EDUCATION AND IMPACT PROJECTS. WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH A TWO PRONGED APPROACH.

SINCE 2008, AGFAF HAS LEVERAGED OVER $15 MILLION TO HELP FUND OVER 80 STUDENTS' GRADUATE SCHOOL, COLLEGE ANDSECONDARY SCHOOL EDUCATIONS IN THE US AND ABROAD, INCLUDING INSTITUTIONS SUCH AS AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY, BLAIR ACADEMY, BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY, DREW UNIVERSITY, GEORGE SCHOOL, GROTON, HOLLINS UNIVERSITY, LAFAYETTE COLLEGE, MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE, PEDDIE SCHOOL, RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, ST. TIMOTHY'S, WAGNER COLLEGE, WASHINGTON AND LEE UNIVERSITY, YALE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF CENTRALASIA, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF IRAQ, AND AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF AFGHANISTAN. AGFAF EMPOWERS THE YOUNG SCHOLARS IN OUR PROGRAM WITH EDUCATION THAT WILL SUPPORT THEIR COMMITMENT TO BECOME THE AGENTS FOR GENDER, SOCIAL ANDECONOMIC PROGRESS AND EQUALITY FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN AND FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES, THROUGH A COMPETITIVE, ANNUAL SELECTION PROCESS PRIMARILY BASED IN THE UNITED STATES BUT ALSO IN OTHER COUNTRIES. AGFAF IDENTIFIES QUALIFIEDAFGHAN STUDENTS AND HELPS MATCH THEM TO GRADUATE SCHOOL, COLLEGES AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. AGFAF HELPS TO SECURE FULL TUITION ROOM AND BOARD AT THESE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. AGFAF THEN COVERS THE ADDITIONAL COSTS THATTHE STUDENT AND THEIR FAMILY ARE NOT ABLE TO AFFORD SUCH AS BOOKS, HEALTH INSURANCE, TRAVEL, PHONE AND COMPUTERS WHEN NEITHER THESE INSTITUTIONS OR THIRD PARTIES CAN PAY ONE OR MORE OF THESE COSTS. WHILE NOT CURRENTLY DOINGSO BECAUSE OF THE CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER FOR STUDENTS RETURNING HOME, AGFAF IN THE PAST HAS PROVIDED ROUNDTRIP TRAVEL TO AND FROM AFGHANISTAN DURING THE SUMMER TO ENSURE THAT STUDENTS REMAIN CONNECTED TO THEIR CULTUREAND FAMILIES WHILE GAINING PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH INTERNSHIPS AND SUMMER JOBS. AGFAF CONTINUES PROVIDING TRAVEL TO THE UNITED STATES AND ELSEWHERE WHEN AFGHAN STUDENTS AND AFGHAN REFUGEES NEED TO COMMENCE THEIREDUCATION EITHER IN THE UNITED STATES OR IN OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.THROUGH OUR IMPACT PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN 2016, AGFAF PROVIDES SMALL GRANTS TO OUR STUDENTS FOR CREATING SELF-SUSTAINING PROJECTS DESIGN TO HELP THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN AND AFGHAN REFUGEES. FORTIFIED BY BOARD AND STAFF MENTORING AND AGFAF FINANCIAL SUPPORT, SEVERAL STUDENTS HAVE TAKEN THEIR PROJECTS FROM PROPOSAL TO IMPLEMENTATION. TO DATE, ACTIVE STUDENTS HAVE ESTABLISHED 6 LIBRARIES AT LOCAL SCHOOLS IN AFGHANISTAN. AS LIBRARIES ARE GENERALLY NOT A PART OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AFGHANISTAN, THESE LIBRARIES PROVIDE PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE RESOURCES TO HUNDREDS OF STUDENTS EVERY DAY. STUDENTS AND TEACHERS HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND DIGITAL LITERACY, ENGLISH,SELF-DEFENSE AND ART CLASSES AND TO PARTICIPATE IN FARSI AND ENGLISH BOOK CLUBS. IN ADDITION TO SERVING THE SCHOOLS IN WHICH THEY WERE ESTABLISHED, AGFAF LIBRARIES HAVE PROVIDED THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WITH PROGRAMS INADULT LITERACY. THE LIBRARIES ALSO PROVIDE A VENUE AT WHICH AGFAF- STUDENTS HAVE INITIATED EDUCATIONAL IMPACT PROJECTS SUCH AS A STEAM (SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ART AND MATH) CAMP FOR CHILDREN AND CODING CLASSES FOR YOUNGWOMEN. THROUGH THESE PROJECTS OUR STUDENTS ARE CREATING POSITIVE CHANGE FOR THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN WHILE OBTAINING AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION. WHILE SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN ON HOLD AND ARE NOW ONLY STARTING TO BE RESUMED, OTHER PROJECTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR USE BY THE PEOPLE OF AFGHANISTAN AND FOR AFGHAN REFUGEES.