I am Halima Behroz, I am a young female Afghan college student. I was born in Ghazni province and grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan. Last fall, I got a scholarship to the US for my education. This spring, I graduated from Scattergood Friends School, a small Quaker high school in West Branch, Iowa. I am thrilled to be enrolled as a college freshman at Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction this fall. I was awarded a merit scholarship from CMU to help fund my education ($9,000), however I still have considerable expenses to meet. My goal is to raise $28,000 by August 15, 2020.This will cover the remainder of my school tuition, as well as my housing, health insurance and books for the 2020-21 academic year. The full tuition cost for a year at CMU is $39,000. Your donation, no matter how small, will help me reach my dream of earning my college degree. Funds received will go 100% to fund my freshman year at CMU.

I am a peace activist, artist, student leader, and mountain climber. As an Afghan girl I have fought my whole life for my education. I want to study and live in a place without fear of being judged and prejudiced as a girl. My goal is to major in Political Science and eventually return to Afghanistan to make a difference in politics there. I think CMU is the ideal school and the environment that I am searching for; CMU gets me one step closer to my goals as an Afghan girl. 

Still want to know more about me? A few years ago my brother, Latif and I started the Kindness Wall project which was recognized by the New York Times . Helping people since middle school has inspired me to pursue a degree in Political Science. I have never been afraid of defying cultural norms and pushing for progress. One of my poems “Don’t Call Me Names”  was published for the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. I have always strived to have my writings and activities be a voice for women in Afghanistan; a small fight for women's rights. As a member of the Marefat High School music group, I have performed at the Afghan Presidential Palace, the U.S. Embassy, Canadian Embassy, and the Dutch Embassy. Being on TV and being an activist has made my parents so proud; but it also carries a risk of becoming a target for extremists. Pursuing my education in the US allows me the opportunity to really thrive and learn without fear of retribution. 

My family is 100% behind me and my dreams. My father did labor work in different counties his whole life to support my sibling’s and my education (I have 4 brothers and one sister). When I was in middle school, two of my older brothers dropped out of school to work and pay for the rest of my siblings' education, including mine (the youngest child). By pursuing my education at CMU, their dreams are coming true too. 

Thank you for supporting me and helping me fund my first year at CMU. I’m so excited for this opportunity to advance my education, and start my future career as a political figure. Ultimately, I want to help other Afghan girls by being an effective, proactive and honest female Afghan politician.