Empowering Minds: ASDD's Mission to Educate Girls in Afghan
Donation protected
Empowering Minds: ASDD's Mission to Educate Girls in Afghanistan
This project was born from a birthday donation in 2023, and thanks to your generous support, it has already transformed lives. Now, we are determined to continue and grow. In 2024, we raised €10,975, which has allowed us to identify and initiate support for 40 girls through English courses, internet packages, study materials, and mentoring programmes in 2025. This year, we aim to add €13,200 to the funds raised in 2024, bringing our total to an incredible €24,200. These additional funds will be used in 2026 to continue supporting 40 girls with English education, study materials, mentoring programmes, and hiring a female local teacher for the students.
Your contribution can help us go even further. For just €330, you can provide one girl with a full year of English education and mentoring—a crucial lifeline that opens doors to higher education and a brighter future. Together, we can continue to transform lives and empower the next generation of women.
Project Overview
It has been three years since the Taliban's gender apartheid regime banned girls over the age of 12 from attending school. Afghanistan, already ranking low in gender equality, has seen its progress in women's rights completely reversed since the Taliban's return to power in August 2021. By April 2023, 80% of schoolage girls—around 2.5 million—were out of school, with many provinces having no access to secondary education. This ban has led to a rise in child marriage, maternal mortality, poverty, depression, and suicide among Afghanistani women and girls.
Our Response
ASDD launched the Empowering Minds: ASDD's Mission to Educate Girls in Afghanistan programme on January 1, 2024. What started as a heartfelt birthday donation from a generous Italian friend has grown into a transformative initiative, sustained by the contributions of dedicated supporters. In 2025, ASDD is providing English language classes and mentoring sessions to 40 Afghanistani adolescent girls and young women, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to pursue higher education abroad. Committed to expanding this opportunity, ASDD aims to continue the programme in 2026, ensuring that 40 more students gain access to education and a brighter future.
Key Project Components
1. English Language Proficiency: We will provide in-person English classes to help AGYW reach the proficiency level required for foreign university admissions.
2. Mentorship and Guidance: Our mentoring programme will connect AGYW with proficient English speakers to practice language skills and receive guidance on university applications, scholarship searches, and interview preparation.
3. Supportive Resources: Each participant will receive teaching materials (books) and an internet package to facilitate online learning and mentorship.
Budget
Our total project budget is € 24,200 , which breaks down as follows:
From this budget, €10,975 are dedicated to the activities or 2025 and €13,200 will be used in 2026.
Local English teachers: 12 months * 4 teachers each month * €100 = € 4800
Study materials (books): € 10 per student * 40 students * 3 levels = € 1,200
Internet packages: € 15 per student * 40 students * 12 months = € 7,200
With your support, we can ensure that these young women continue their education despite the oppressive regime and help us expand the programme to benefit even more participants.
Results & Achievements (2024 – Present)
Since the launch of the programme, ASDD has achieved significant milestones:
✅ Improved English Proficiency: 16 Students advanced from A1 to B2 level in English.
✅ Increased Enrolment: Expanded from 16 students to 40 students.
✅ Access to Digital Learning: Provided internet packages for all 40 students.
✅ Hiring Local Educators: Recruited new female local teachers for in-person classes.
✅ Program Expansion: Grew from one branch to two branches in Afghanistan.
✅ Global Mentorship: Launched the second edition of our mentorship programme, now involving 40 mentors from all around the world.
✅ Student Voices: Launched our student newsletter, featuring essays written by programme participants.
Why Your Support Matters
Afghanistan is at risk of losing a generation of educated women—women who are essential for the country's development and future. By supporting the Empowering Minds initiative, you are not just helping these young women access education; you are giving them hope, resilience, and a chance to change their futures.
Donate Now
Your donation, no matter how small, will make a significant impact on the lives of these young women. In 2024, we raised €10,800, and we aim to raise an additional €13,400 to reach our total goal of €24,200. This funding will support 40 young women in accessing education, mentorship, and essential resources, empowering them to overcome the challenges they face and pursue a brighter future.
Partner with Us
We invite you to partner with us in this mission. Together, we can make a lasting difference in the lives of Afghanistani girls, empowering them to become the leaders and changemakers of tomorrow.
Thank you for your generosity and commitment to education and equality.
Follow us on:
Website: http://as-dd.eu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/asdd.it
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/associazione-di-solidarietà-donne-per-le-donne-asdd
Real Stories, Real Impact: Voices from ASDD's Students
Hear directly from the girls who are benefiting from ASDD's support. These young women have faced unimaginable challenges under the Taliban's rule but remain determined to fight for their right to education and a better future. Their stories of courage and perseverance will inspire you. Due to security concerns, any personal information about students, including names, cannot be disclosed.
First Student
“On March 6, 2024, the sun in Bamyan shone brightly, but it still couldn’t ease the sadness in the hearts of the people. Seeing their sad and troubled faces hurt my heart and filled my mind with questions. Late at night, a question that had always been on my mind kept repeating: Why, with all their abilities, have Afghanistani women still not experienced freedom? Why are their dreams still trapped and limited by the shadow of the Taliban?
I remember that on March 6, 2024, I cried because of a woman’s story I didn’t even know, but her pain touched my heart deeply. That day, with a heart full of sadness, I went to the river to wash my clothes. But washing clothes was just a way to escape from the heavy thoughts in my mind. While I was still lost in my thoughts at the river, I met an old woman. Her hands were cracked and weak, but she was still washing clothes with strength and courage
…..”
Second Student
"In the heart of Afghanistan, where the mountains rise high and the air is filled with the echoes of ancient history, there lies a story of resilience and despair-one that is often forgotten but deserves to be heard by the world. It is the story of Afghanistani girls, whose dreams are suffocated by the heavy chains of oppression. Our cries are silenced, our hopes dimmed, and our futures stolen away. We are not just a statistic in news reports or a number in a human rights study, we are daughters and sisters, yearning for the chance to learn, to grow and to live in a world where our voices are heard.
Afghanistani girls continue to show their incredible strength. In hidden corners of our country. We continue to study in secret, we want to learn and grow, we take the risk of punishment, speak out against injustice and fight for our right to be seen. We are the silent warriors of a war that is not just fought with weapons but with courage , resilience, and hope. We believe in the power of education, in the possibility of a life free from fear, and in a future where our rights are not negotiable.
……….."
Together, we can bring hope and opportunity to the women and girls of Afghanistan.
Organizer
Association di solidarietà donne per le donne ASDD
Organizer
Rome, LZ