Bridge The Word #2

Help me sponsor 4 girls from low-income backgrounds in my homeland, Afghanistan. As sponsors, you can bridge their path to learning English and open new doors in their life for a bigger world, learning, and better career opportunities. As a “Thank you,” they will write letters monthly reflecting on their journey and learning and share it with you through the GoFundMe platform. As they learn about the world and culture of English speakers across the globe, you can learn about their worlds and culture.

Goal: $3000

Deadline: July 10th

Impact statement:

This is not our first fundraising; it is the second one. In the first fundraising, we collected $800 and used that money to support books, transportation, internet, and tuition costs of 6 students for a total of 14 months of tuition (each student 2-3 months) and helped another student with her TOEFL (English proficiency test) testing registration. TOEFL is a test required for applying to a lot of scholarships and study abroad programs for students to show their proficiency, but it remains inaccessible to a lot of students due to its high price of $240, especially in Afghanistan where currency exchange worth is much less than dollars.

Here are pieces of what our students wrote back to us:

“Since our economic situation is not good, I didn't go to any English courses, and it was always difficult to understand my lessons in university as a computer science major because our lectures and resources were in English. Three months ago, I got a scholarship from a program that supported me and paid all my costs to go to an English course, so I started my learning without any worry and thinking about costs. Now I am so happy because it is a good chance for me, and this program gives me new hope.”

I hope this program continues because most girls are waiting for this chance. Please give us a chance, and we will prove that we are like you and we can change the future.

From Guldasta.

To all kind people in the world.”

Guldasta is an Elementary learner

“Actually, after 4 years of the ban on education for girls in Afghanistan, I became so hopeless. My brain had forgotten how to learn. In the beginning of going to my English class, my mind was resisting a lot. Thanks to King God, I got used to learning again, and doing my homework is now full of joy. My English has changed a lot, and I am learning new things every day.”

Fatemah is a beginner learner

"The level of the class was quite advanced. Over these three months, my English skills, especially in listening and speaking, have improved significantly. I can now understand conversations more easily and express myself with more confidence.

One of my favorite memories from the class was during a group speaking activity. The funny part was that everyone's voices were overlapping. My friend and I were also speaking loudly, pretending that our phone was a microphone. It was chaotic but so much fun, and we all laughed a lot afterward. I will never forget."

Anita is an Advanced learner

“I always try my best to learn and improve.

I hope one day I can also help others like you are helping us.”

Samira is an upper intermediate learner

“My father is sick and old and can’t work, and my brother has his own family and can hardly provide enough for us. He only earns money in the fall because he works on a farm. There is no one else in my family to support me. I am an English teacher, but my salary is very low, which only helps me buy my English books and other study materials, such as internet access. Fortunately, after explaining my situation and my inability to afford the TOEFL test, this program offered to help me. They paid the full amount for my TOEFL test and only asked that I achieve a good score. I hope I can do well and not disappoint them. I am truly grateful for those who donated to help girls like me.”

Sima is an English teacher and an advanced learner

You can check the first fundraising and its detailed results here: https://gofund.me/9ce2eed4

This fundraising exists to help Fatemah, Zainap, Guldasta, and Samira get the vital support they need to continue learning in life given their economic situation. Any additional money will go toward expanding the duration of sponsorship or the number of sponsored students. The money will go toward fully covering all costs, including tuition, internet, and transportation, for studying in TOEFL Gate Language Academy for the next 4 classes (8-10 months). TOEFL Gate is a well-known and respected language academy based in Herat, Afghanistan, that provides hybrid and in-person English classes at all levels. Each of their classes lasts two months. Students use a textbook alongside other resources to learn English. To apply their learning in conversation and discussion, students meet in class in person or online for two hours every day, 6 days a week. To get evaluated on their learnings, students take in-person tests in the Academy several times during the course of the class.

It has been 3 years since secondary and higher education was banned for girls in my country. I remember the shock I had when I suddenly couldn’t go to school anymore. I had two hard gap years before I got into MIT, and language learning was my passion that saved me from losing my mind. I started English with the dream of studying abroad, but it took me much beyond that. Even before I got into any university, I got to have access to much more learning resources and a broader community of people. As I was practicing my English with other English learners, within my community or from around the globe, I felt I still belonged to a community of learners. Through all those conversations, my world got bigger and deeper. No rule or government could take those human connections away from me. Today, I am fortunate and privileged to study my passion, Brain and Cognitive Science at MIT, help in research in psycholinguistics, and feel belonged to my home away from home—MIT sport Taekwondo. None of these would be possible without learning English.

To this day, learning English is a last hope for many girls back home, because language institutes remained legally open even after the Taliban took over the country, and they still open doors to better careers and educational opportunities. Unlike general schools that can exist as public schools, language institutes are private, and many families can’t afford them with the skyrocketing rate of poverty in my homeland. You can help make this last resort a possibility for these 4 girls.

We’ll share updates on the funds raised and the students’ progress, so you’ll see the tangible impact of your contribution. We will also share students’ reflections on what they learned alongside passages they write to share a piece of their stories and cultures and also express their gratitude for your contribution.

Join me today in bridging the world. A donation of $10 can go a long way and cover a week of one student’s education. Everyday counts. let's give these girls the opportunity they deserve before the July 10th deadline!