High Bluff Academy Foundation

At the end of June, three bright and beautiful young Afghan women were set to receive F-1 Visas to study on scholarship at High Bluff Academy (HBA), a high school in Southern California. The US government's ban on travel from Afghanistan now makes this impossible, so at present they will continue their studies online from Kabul.

HBA Kabul has been educating hundreds of high school girls in Kabul in person and online for HBA classes since early 2023. The HBA Foundation helps HBA Kabul provide food, laptops, lab equipment, and WiFi for students and teachers on the ground in Kabul.

With each passing day, the situation in Afghanistan grows more dire -- according to the UN, 75 percent of the population struggles to meet daily needs, more than 12 million people are food insecure, and 1.5 million girls are prevented from attending school.

"As repressive laws continue to erode women’s rights, safety and access to basic services such as education and employment, Afghanistan’s socioeconomic crisis has seen the gender gap widen further, pushing women deeper into social exclusion and poverty" (UNDP, 30 April 2025).

Message from Marwa, June 5, 2025:

I want to say to all my dearest HBA family,

As I sit with a heavy heart in the face of uncertainty and sadness, I find myself thinking about all the efforts that are now at risk. I’m reminded of the one constant that gives me strength: HBA. You are my family!!! I love you always. High Bluff Academy has been so much more than a school—it has been a home, a refuge, and a force of hope in my life. You believed in me when the world seemed to turn its back. You gave me not only an education, but courage, purpose, and a renewed sense of self. I discovered my voice, my worth, and the power of compassion. Your unwavering support has carried me through the darkest times, and it continues to guide me toward a brighter future. Thank you for every act of kindness, for standing by me, and for shaping the person I am becoming. I carry your love and light with me always, and I promise to pass it on.

Message to all girls from Zuhra, June 6:

حرکت و آینده

دختر نازنین! رؤیای تو هنوز زنده است. جهان فقط یک کشور نیست، و آمریکا تنها یکی از هزاران راه است. راه تو می‌تواند از اروپا، آسیا، یا حتی آموزش آنلاین بگذرد. مهم‌تر از همه این‌که درِ خودباوری همیشه باز است. تو از سرزمینی آمده‌ای که دختر بودن یعنی جنگیدن برای آموختن، و همین تو را قوی‌تر از هزار ویزا می‌سازد. ادامه بده. بخوان. بجنگ. بساز. تو نه تنها آینده خودت را، بلکه امید نسل بعد را هم خلق خواهی کرد.

"Dear brave girl, your dream is still alive. The world is not limited to one country, and America is only one of many paths. Your journey might pass through Europe, Asia, or even online education. But above all, the door of self-belief is always open. You come from a land where being a girl means fighting to learn—and that makes you stronger than a thousand visas. Keep going. Learn. Fight. Build. You are not only shaping your future, but you are becoming a beacon of hope for the next generation."

Please give generously so that girls in Afghanistan can continue to learn and grow despite the daily challenges.

Thank you.

I am Jill Duoto, the Director of High Bluff Academy Foundation. I started this foundation in order to help Afghans and Afghan refugees get an education. It all started almost 3 years ago when Mohammad and Aqila Mohammadi applied for a scholarship to High Bluff Academy. Their father, Aziz, had worked in the resistance against the Taliban, delivering supplies to his native village to fight off the incursion. When the village was overtaken, the villagers, under threat of death, gave information on Aziz. The family went into hiding in Kabul and feared for their lives. After meeting the family, I vowed to help them. Fast forward to today and Aqila and Mohammad are living in the dorms at San Marcos State University and the Mohammadi family have just been approved through the Welcome Corps program to immigrate legally to the U.S. I don't know their arrival date yet, but it should be in the next few weeks or months. I am asking for your help in raising money for their first two months of living expenses. Please pass this on to friends and family. Every donation counts. Let's save the next generation from growing up under the Taliban!

Pictured above: Aziz (46), Gol Chaman (37), Sattar (14), Sharifa (13), Mahdi (11), Elinaz (5)