Today’s post is all about girl power (the Spice Girls would be so proud). Educating girls in developing countries has gotten a lot of buzz lately with the release of the Girl Rising documentary and we were lucky enough to be at the Cincinnati showing a few weeks ago.
The timing is perfect because the CoEd scholarship program is expanding and our focus is on supporting the education of girls in Guatemala. Nearly 70% of the scholarships offered will be to educate girls in the developing world. Why is this such a big deal? Because educating girls yields a higher rate of return than any other investment available in the developing world. Whaaat? Talk about girl power—let’s hear it for the girls!
Hello,
My name is Naila, and I am writing from Islamabad, Pakistan. I am seeking help for two sisters, Firouza Zamiri and Nageena Zamiri, who were living in Pakistan as Afghan refugees since 2021.
They lived with their parents, siblings, and grandparents near my home. They attended school during the day and would come to my home in the evenings, where I helped them study English and Mathematics.
Unfortunately, the Pakistani government recently sent their family back to Afghanistan. Since they returned, I have remained in contact with them through WhatsApp.
My heart sank when I learned that they had been unable to attend school for the past year. Firouza was supposed to begin Class 9, while Nageena was supposed to begin Class 11. As girls in Afghanistan, they are currently unable to continue their formal education beyond Class 6.
I desperately want to help them continue their education online while they are living in Afghanistan. Could you please guide me on what options may be available for them?
I would be very grateful if you could let me know:
* What online educational opportunities might be available to them?
* How can they contact your organization directly?
* What kind of support or educational resources could you provide?
* Are there any programs through which they could continue their secondary education remotely?
These girls are eager to learn, and I would sincerely appreciate any guidance or assistance you can provide.
Thank you very much for your time and consideration.
Kind regards,
Naila
Islamabad, Pakistan
Hello Naila, thank you for your thoughtful comment. Unfortunately, education access in Afghanistan is outside of our realm of expertise, as Cooperative for Education is focused solely on education in Guatemala, so we’re unable to offer any insight into resources available to Firouza and Nageena. Perhaps looking into UNICEF.org could be a good starting point because their work includes girls’ education in Aghanistan. We wish you and the sisters the best of luck!