Help Marjan study music in Turkey
Please help Marjan continue her music education in Turkey.
Marjan Fedayee is a young talented and hardworking Afghan female violinist and women’s activist. She is a graduate of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music where she was concert master of the Afghan women’s orchestra ‘Zohra’. As leader of the orchestra, Marjan toured to Switzerland, Germany, and India and performed at the closing ceremony of the World Economic Forum in Davis in 2017. She was also a member of the Afghan Youth Orchestra - with whom she toured to the United States - and later the Afghan National Symphony Orchestra. As Marjan’s former teacher in Afghanistan, I am extremely proud of her determination, resilience, and humility, and am honoured to help and support her as she continues her musical journey. Marjan is a true image of the bright future of Afghanistan which is being silenced in the wake of increasing violence. However, due to Afghanistan’s worsening security situation and threats to her life, Marjan was forced to leave her homeland. She now needs your help to continue her music in Turkey.
After graduating from high school, Marjan needed to financially support her family. She found a job performing regularly on Afghan television and was one of very few brave Afghan women to perform publicly on television. Due to her family’s circumstances, Marjan was unable to continue her music studies.
Unfortunately, the political and security situation in Afghanistan is deteriorating rapidly in light of current the US-NATO withdrawal. Afghanistan is a dangerous place for anyone, especially a female musician. Marjan has received threats from extremists and the Taliban against her own life and those of her family for doing what she loves and trying to make a living for her and her family through music. As a result, Marjan was forced to leave Kabul and relocate to Istanbul.
Marjan has been accepted to continue her music studies at the Bariś için Müzik conservatory where she can develop her music skills at a tertiary level. This is an extremely important opportunity for Marjan’s future as university-level music education is extremely limited. At present, Marjan is unable to work and needs support to start this new chapter in her life. This fundraiser will help support Marjan’s initial school fees, living costs in Istanbul, and Turkish language course to help her get established in this new country.
I, Lauren Braithwaite, will be receiving the funds on Marjan’s behalf and transferring them to her via bank transfer to Turkey.
Thank you for supporting Marjan’s future and the future of Afghanistan.
To see Marjan performing, please watch this video:
