The Safer World Fund

Violence against girls seeking an education has recently been brought to the world stage. Last month, more than 200 Nigerian girls were kidnapped from school by a terrorist organization called Boko Haram, and earlier this year Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani school girl who was shot for pursuing an education, made the cover of TIME Magazine’s "100 Most Influential People of 2013" issue. It is becoming increasingly apparent to the western world that girls will overcome any obstacle to educate themselves if given the opportunity.

As you know, The Safer World Fund supports a number of nonprofits that strive every day to encourage advances in health, education, and training for people in Afghanistan and Pakistan, especially women and girls. Investing in girls will help open opportunities for communities to live in peace and fulfillment. An educated woman teaches her sons to love educated girls. Check out these amazing stories and updates from the nonprofits benefiting from your generous donations:

“On a recent visit in the villages of Thatta where Sughar operates, it warmed my heart to see the way women interacted more freely, more powerfully and more joyously about their lives and their needs. The “man-free” space of this “Hub” has given them the liberty, for at least a few hours, to gossip, laugh, and whisper to each other about things they otherwise wouldn’t talk about.” -Khalida Brohi, Founder/Executive Director of Sughar.

Fariba is a 30-year old mother. She could not go to school as a child because she was a refugee during the war. She enrolled in one of the Afghan Institute of Learnning’s mobile literacy courses and is close to graduating from the class. She says, “I can read books and magazines now when I couldn’t a few months ago. I write some topics now, when before the class I couldn’t even write the alphabet’s letters. I know all of us are improving day by day. This is an excellent class.”

“I have some education now. I know how a young woman should live. I have dreams. Nothing stops me from wanting to be a doctor or teacher. I just want a building to go to school in. I am so happy it is coming. Right now we are in a temporary site. Forget all this talk about the Taliban coming back. Just focus on studying. We need female teachers and better study materials," said one brave girl going to school in Balkh Province, Afghanistan.

When Awatif was just 13, her marriage was arranged and her future, already written, until your generous donations created a scholarship for her to go to school. She worked hard, moved in with her grandparents so she could walk to class, and graduated college. Awatif is now 20 years old and just landed an impressive job teaching adult literacy with an NGO in her town.

Thank you for being a supporter of the endless possibilities an education provides for girls around the world.

Warmly,
Joyce Manchester