SOS Afghanes
March 27, 2025
March 2025
Dear friends,
I am writing this newsletter high over the Atlantic, returning from a stint in Europe, where I made contact with a number of organizations interested in partnering with AFSO to help Afghan women and girls. These connections right now are vital. The cuts to USAID have impacted AFSO not directly but in too many ways: our partners have been forced to pull back from their mission; one of our students has lost her USAID-funded scholarship and risks being deported to Afghanistan; the numbers on our waitlist are swelling. The proposed ban on travel to the U.S. from Afghanistan may also block students who have obtained full scholarships from coming to the universities that stand ready to welcome them.
It's grim news, but the energy and focus of initiatives around the world mean the work will go on for our students and their peers. Our "Light Exists in Spring" campaign, which ends April 1, has brought not only much-needed funding but also attention to the next stage of our students' journey. Having honed their English and mastered the skills of critical thinking, research and writing, and quantitative literacy, a substantial number of our students are taking the TOEFL and researching options to complete their education. So often we hear, "But isn't that impossible for them?" Hard, yes. But with our support and the support of their families, they are taking this next step—and if they cannot come to America, they will find their way at Anglophone universities in the U.K., Europe, India, Canada, and Asia.
The real highlight of the month is the launch of the Fairfield Scholars. Last fall, Maryam Gharmal, an undergraduate at Fairfield University in Connecticut, founded a student group, Pangea, whose first project has been to raise money for AFSO. They have now succeeded in raising $3,700—the cost, at $37/month, of educating 10 AFSO students for a year. We have named 10 students whose participation, professor recommendations, and community spirit warrants this honor. These women will interact with the students of Pangea, forming bonds across oceans and culture. We are delighted by this initiative and hope other student groups will follow suit. As America withdraws from the world politically, these students are reaching out. May the connections they form last a lifetime!
Another shout-out is due to our ESL platform, Ellii, which has generously provided AFSO with unlimited subscriptions at no cost. These subscriptions will allow us to ramp up the role of our teaching assistants, so that every student in every course can have access to guided lessons and curricula in English. Given our students' eagerness and tenacity, we expect many more to be prepared for English exams within the next year.
So with all the chaos and uncertainty in the world, we are feeling grateful and steady in our course. Thanks to all of you, and may your spring winds blow gentle and warm.
With thanks for all you do,
Lucy Ferriss
President of the Board
Afghan Female Student Outreach
