Renewing Our Commitment to Educating Afghanistan's Future Leaders

Welcome from Our New Executive Director - Christian Wistehuff
I am thrilled to join the staff of The Initiative To Educate Afghan Women in the important work they and their dedicated Board of Directors undertook ten years ago to help create Afghanistan’s future women leaders.

Recently, members of the Board of Directors and staff drafted an ambitious roadmap for the critical path ahead.  As a result, in the coming months, you will see a new Initiative refocused on identifying bright young women in Afghanistan interested in training in the United States for careers desperately needed to advance peace and prosperity in their home country.  You also will see new ways of communicating with existing and potential new contributors and the beginning of an engaged alumnae network both at home and abroad.

The young women who have benefited from the Initiative over the past ten years - and those who have yet to embark on their journey with us - are inspirational examples of how change can be made in the world.

It is my honor to work - with your help - toward making the dreams of these extraordinary young women possible.  Thank you for all you have done and all you are able to do in the future as the next chapter of the Initiative begins.

PLEASE DONATE TO OUR ANNUAL FUND - learn more.

Providence Journal Article

81 degrees of change Program launched in R.I. 10 years ago helps Afghan women achieve equality

PROVIDENCE — Thousands of miles from the Providence office of the Initiative to Educate Afghan Women, there’s a war on terror.

There’s also a war on women. And women are winning, one college diploma at a time.

“It is creating change back in Afghanistan,” said Christian Wistehuff, the Initiative’s executive director.

The Initiative was established a decade ago by Paula Nirschel, then wife of the president of Roger Williams University in Bristol. So far it has provided 81 Afghan women fouryear scholarships at 23 universities.

Read entire article.

IEAW Alumna, Adela Raz, Appointed as First Deputy Spokesperson and Director of Communications for President Hamid Karzai

We congratulate our dear Adela, and note that she has fulfilled our mission ("to help create Afghanistan's future women leaders...") perfectly....click here to view press release.

IEAW Alumnae Website Focuses on Afghanistan’s Economy

Please view our student’s “Look Who’s Driving” film

This short documentary film was created as part of MyStreet, Afghanistan and screened at the Open City Film Festival in London, won an award in National Film Festival for Talented Youth (Nffty) in Seattle, was screened in Formula Mundi Film Festival in Egypt and also at the Human Rights Film Festival in Kabul.