How to Help Afghan Activists

Thara leads Nonprofit Operations for Bright Funds. Here she shares her perspective on the recent situation in Afghanistan and how to make a difference.‍

The world of heartache I feel for women activists in Afghanistan right now is beyond anything I have words to describe. With every news story I read this week, the sense of urgency I feel to help Afghan women and children is mounting.The Taliban are targeting women who have fought for human rights for the last 20 years — women who not only discovered their voice but used it as a powerful force for positive change. I worry about these civil society leaders, but I also worry about what will happen to the next generation — the little girls whose parents could not secure the right type of visa to escape in time. What will the next 20 years look like for them? Will they be allowed to go to school? How far will their rights be rolled back? I worry about what will become of the hard won humanitarian progress of the past two decades when the last evacuation planes depart on the 31st.

The situation in Afghanistan for women and girls is dire - especially for those who have worked tirelessly to advance democratic values, human rights, and women's empowerment. It's up to each of us to raise our voices and ensure they are not left behind. Collective action can make a difference. - Dr. Jessica Smith

How to help

I’m writing today to offer you a path to help through action. By donating to the 2021 Afghanistan Emergency Aid Fund, you can help protect Afghan women and human rights leaders by directly supporting organizations who are actively coordinating an emergency response. The organizations in this Fund are working on multiple fronts to help evacuate at-risk women activists, deliver lifesaving aid to displaced families and ensure families are resettled with dignity by providing cash assistance. I hope this avenue for making a difference will provide you with some small solace in light of all the devastating news.

Afghanistan Emergency Aid Fund

Violence is escalating in Afghanistan following the Taliban takeover. The Afghanistan Emergency Aid Fund supports organizations working to deliver aid to areas in conflict and support displaced people in Kabul. This fund is comprised of pre-vetted nonprofits providing emergency response in the region. Through a single tax-deductible donation to the Fund, you can support multiple organizations’ initiatives.

‍Donate to the Fund ➔

What's a Fund?

A Bright Funds Fund consists of one or more nonprofits that you would like to support! They can be nonprofits that have a common cause or mission, or maybe just a group of nonprofits you would like to support. Learn more about Funds.