Fund Afghan Women College Students

Hi, my name is Nooshin Ahmadi, I'm faculty at Cornell University. I'm fundraising for 9 woman Afghan students at Cornell University.

As the Taliban took control of Afghanistan this summer, 150 women – all students at Asian University for Women, trying to flee the country so they could continue their educations – circled Kabul Airport on rented buses for 64 hours.The students had started their undergraduate careers in Chittagong, Bangladesh, where AUW enrolls about 800 women from across Asia. But because of COVID-19, all AUW students studied remotely from their home countries during the last academic year. As the Taliban began controlling remote provinces, AUW administrators planned to evacuate the students over a period of months.

But as the Taliban’s takeover accelerated, the urgency escalated. AUW rented seven buses and reached out to the U.S. military for assistance. Because AUW administrators were in Bangladesh, the students would have to make it out on their own.

Through a long chain of contacts, ultimately involving the White House, the students got past the Taliban guards. They collapsed on the floor of one of the last flights out of Kabul.

They eventually landed at a U.S. Army installation in Fort McCoy, Wisconsin, where they have spent the last two and a half months. When they found themselves among 13,000 other Afghan refugees at the base, they started schools to teach basic English to Afghan children. “These students are all leaders and innovators.”

We at Cornell have been hosting 9 of them since December 2021. All 9 are young women who will be starting to continue their education at Cornell. A few of them are on track for medical school a few others for business and engineering school. The women are determined to continue their education.

The students say they are grateful for the safety and support Cornell is providing. However, they also say they feel overwhelmed by their experiences. One of the students says she tries not to look at the lovely surroundings when she walks around campus; she feels badly thinking of those back home who don’t have the same opportunities. When she eats in the dining hall, she thinks of the stories her brother in Kabul tells her, of Afghans lining up outside of bakeries, begging for food.

“The truth is, right now I am homeless,” she said. “Before, I was proud of my country, culture, and religion. Now, whether people like it or not, they must follow the Taliban’s rules. This is not the Afghanistan I call my homeland.”

Now I'm trying to fundraise for them to pay for their living expenses. I'd like to see them all graduate and finish school on time. Although Cornell has provided housing and meals, they have no income to pay for clothing and other needs.

Like you, I’m looking forward to spring. But this Nowruz will be special for these Afghan students as they are away from their homes and family. We very much appreciate your donation to these talented students!