Resilient Futures: Empowering Afghan Women through Education in Canada.
Since August 2021, the women and girls of Afghanistan have been ruthlessly suppressed with their active participation in society erased. Many educated women, themselves life-long defenders of girls’ and women’s rights in Afghanistan, were suddenly the targets of the Taliban, risking arrest, torture and death.
Since September 2021, the education of Afghan girls over the age of 12 has been indefinitely halted, affecting approximately 1.1 million girls and young women by denying them formal education. Currently, around 2.5 million Afghan girls and young women of school age are out of school, with the situation worsening in March 2022 when the Taliban prohibited 3 million girls from accessing higher education.
Resilient Futures is dedicated to reversing these injustices by providing study permits to eligible candidates, enabling them to continue their education in Canada. In collaboration with Wilfrid Laurier University and Global University Systems, we have secured 14 full-ride scholarships, with a value of over $500,000. Our organization, in partnership with esteemed homestay programs, will also support their accommodation needs.
As we approach September 2024, our first cohort of women is scheduled to arrive in Canada. Each candidate is filled with anticipation and excitement at the prospect of returning to school. With your support, we can restore their hope and empower them to fulfill their dreams. Join us in making a difference in the lives of these aspiring women, and help us give them back their wings to soar towards a brighter future.
About Us
For the Refugees is a pioneering Canadian non-profit, established in 2016 by a trio of committed lawyers from Montreal. Our organization champions the cause of individuals who have made significant societal contributions yet face severe risks due to their actions. Recognized by Quebec's immigration authorities as an official refugee sponsorship entity, we serve as a critical sanctuary for individuals whose cases are deemed too sensitive or politically charged for conventional processing channels.
Our Mission
At the heart of our mission lies the commitment to mobilize all necessary resources to provide a durable solution. We offer comprehensive support services, including pro bono immigration legal assistance, media advocacy, and fundraising efforts to cover essential living and relocation expenses. Central to our philosophy is the belief in paying it forward; refugees who benefit from our support are encouraged to help improve the lives of others upon their resettlement in Canada.
Our Legacy and Future Directions
Having devoted over seven years to supporting the Guardian Angels of Edward Snowden, our focus is now shifting towards a critical global issue: advancing women's rights to education in Afghanistan through our newest initiative, Resilient Futures: Empowering Afghan Women through Education in Canada.
Resilient Futures: Empowering Women through Education, is an initiative created to provide eligible Afghan women a path to safety through post-secondary education opportunities in Canada.
Social medias For the Refugees:
X : @4TheRefugees
Facebook: For The Refugees;
Instagram: @4therefugees_org
Candidates quotes:
Nazillah - a lawyer
First of all, I am very proud to be an Afghan woman and in spite of the current hardships, I am determined to achieve my dreams and I will never give up. Afghan women are the bravest women in the world but unfortunately most of them don’t even know the true meaning of the word woman as they live only to produce a generation. The streets of Kabul have never been safe for a woman and we have never been able to live, study and go to work as we wish. In spite of that it is my goal to serve the women of my country one way or another. If I go to Canada, I will study and pave the way to achieve my big dreams. I still wish to be the first female president in Afghanistan and this dream can come true if I study and serve the people of my country honestly. I have complete faith in my abilities. I want to save the lives of many women who live in very bad conditions in Afghanistan and are always tortured. My wish is that no woman or girl in Afghanistan should be illiterate, no girl forced to marry, no woman should be forced into silence in the face of physical and mental torture. No woman should have to bear the hardships of life and all the women and girls in Afghanistan should be able to smile and hope for the future.
Munira - a medical doctor
As an Afghan woman, I yearn for the opportunity to continue my education. Education symbolizes hope, empowerment, and freedom for me. It means breaking barriers, defying stereotypes, and shaping my own future. With education, I envision a life filled with possibilities, where I can contribute to my community, pursue my passions, and inspire others."Empowering Afghan Women: Celebrating Resilience, Courage, and Progress on International Women's Day"
Niloofar - an architectural engineer
To all the brave and innovative women of the world!
Despite the progress women have made worldwide, millions of women are still burning in the fire of discrimination, prejudice, tradition and coercion and they have a long road ahead in the fight for change. We Afghan women are languishing on the dark side of the border representing equality and human rights. We have been taken hostage stripped of the right to study, work, vote, the right to choose how to dress and even the right to love and be loved. They have made us playthings through their policies and political interests and our voice is censored by the superpowers of the world.
In my country, dozens of girls are murdered and stoned to death every week for the crime of choosing a spouse, hundreds of women are imprisoned for the crime of being kicked out of the house, hundreds of girls are married for the crime of puberty at a young age, and millions of girls do not have the right to study and work because they are female.
Given the current situation, we pay tribute to all feminists and women's rights activists around the world and ask for your cooperation and support. Afghan women have reached one of the most sensitive moments in their history and the need for your support is felt more than ever.
Our request to you, as the feminist powers of the world, is to increase the pressure on governments and international organizations to try to respect the rights of Afghan women and girls. Also, please ask your governments to create legal grounds for the exit of Afghan women and girls from existing dangers. Recognizing gender apartheid in Afghanistan is the first step to creating special protective laws for Afghan women in order to remove the ban on education and work
Hoping to change and improve the conditions of Afghan women, we ask for support from all feminists and supporters of women's rights around the world. Let’s not forget that our solidarity and unity is the only way to win. Thank you for your efforts and support
Sooriya - a journalist and activist
Our twenty years of struggles, sacrifice, hard work, and pain as women who were turning into achievements of becoming a dream of an equal nation were shattered in one night. Now, the struggles of becoming an equal nation that deserves respect, dignity, and representation in world politics, economy, technology, and arts must not be taken from Afghan women.
As long as I am alive I will dedicate my life for the betterment of humanity. Fortunately, the impacts created by educating women of Afghanistan are still preserved. Continuing these efforts will spark better future generations who will aspire, motivate, and further assist other girls who are losing hope of being educated and becoming changemakers in Post-Taliban societies.
For one week, starting March 8, 2024 (International Women’s Day) the proceeds from sales of our 92g Peace Bars will go toward the education of Afghan women who were denied learning opportunities in their homeland.
Shop to Donate here: https://www.peacebychocolatevendor.ca/wholesale?category=International+Women%27s+Day