Welcome to the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women website.
Paula Nirschel founded the Initiative in 2002 after learning how Afghan women were kept hidden and denied education for the seven years of the Taliban’s reign over Afghanistan. Determined to make a difference, Paula started the program to offer education to some of the country’s highly motivated young women.
The IEAW works to secure four-year scholarships for Afghan women to study at American universities around the country. Click here for a list of participating colleges.
All the students return home every summer to work for reconstruction and to help support their families. They commit to return to Afghanistan at the completion of their education, where we anticipate they will move into leadership roles, further reconstruction efforts and assist in improving the place of women in their society.
The IEAW selects students for their high academic standards and keen English skills.
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March 2009 |
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In March 2009, the IEAW Advisory Board met in Washington, DC for its bi-annual meeting.
Prior to a full day of active planning and discussions at the offices of Gensler Architecture, advisory board members, staff, and students enjoyed an evening filled with fellowship and food. The students prepared a delicious Afghan meal.
The IEAW is fortunate to have a very active board that is not only interested in the overall vision of the program but also concerned about the well-being of the students. It was a very successful and productive meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for October in New York City.
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March 2009 |
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On March 19, 2009 Sadiqa Basiri Saleem was joined on stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC with other international women leaders including the United States' own Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and was awarded one of only five 2009 Global Leadership Awards given by Vital Voices Global Partnership. Sadiqa was awarded the 2009 Rising Voices Award for her extraordinary contribution to girls' education in Afghanistan.
A senior at Mt. Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Sadiqa is majoring in International Relations. Upon completion of her degree in May 2009, she plans to return to Afghanistan where she will continue to pave the way for girls and women to achieve their educational dreams. |
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Graduations
In May 2008 the IEAW celebrated the graduations of four students.
Two women graduated from Simmons College and two students received their graduate degrees from UMass Amherst. All of the women were top in their class, having the highest grades and accomplishments.
Through the IEAW and its 20 partner colleges, these graduates, and more to come, are receiving education that was previously denied to them. |
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Significant Growth for the IEAW
The IEAW is excited to announce another substantial increase in students. This year, the Initiative To Educate Afghan Women will educate 46 women at 20 colleges around the United States. We are thankful to the new schools that have joined our program this year; Holy Cross and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. These schools believe in education for Afghan Women and have offered scholarships to promote this mission. We feel proud to be educating the next women leaders of Afghanistan.
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Intersession 2008
Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Intersession 2008 was like no Intersession before as more than 47 students, staff, and volunteers headed south to the quaint island town of Emerald Isle, North Carolina. Carolina blue skies, warm days, sun-kissed seas, and sugar-soft sand greeted the students as they gathered to reflect, renew, and reconnect after a semester filled with studies, tests, and deadlines.
The week was filled with many new experiences as well as familiar ones with bicycle riding, yoga, sand castle building, cooking, talking with friends, and dancing until well past the midnight hour. To quote one student, "it was perfect".
As the good times came to an end with the dreaded cleaning of the houses and sad times saying goodbye to old and new friends, students prepared for travels back to their respective schools with a feeling of sadness but a renewed spirit to carry them through another semester of studies. |
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