Goal: Fund the Education of 20 Girls for 3-Year College in Afghanistan

Context: Once the Taliban gave permission to girls to continue in college in the two fields of nursing and midwifery, our staff was approached by potential candidates. In response to the demand, we started the College Scholarship Program for Women. Barakat's staff selected ten girls after talking with them and their families.

Need: Health outcomes in Afghanistan are very poor.

Afghanistan has very high rates of infant mortality (43 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021) and maternal mortality (620 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020).
The 2018 Afghanistan Health Survey reported 35% of female respondents had no prenatal visits, 14% had one prenatal visit, and 21% had four or more prenatal visits. 41% of women reported giving birth at home. Over half reported receiving no postpartum care.*

There is furthermore a two-fold problem with obtaining healthcare:

Firstly, there is a shortage of qualified medical personnel which is getting worse under the current Taliban regime.
Secondly, women, especially pregnant women, need to be seen by female medical personnel who are even fewer in number. There is a strong push against allowing women to be seen by male doctors/nurses due to cultural taboos and perceptions.

Impact: Educating girls within Afghanistan to serve as nurses/midwives within their own communities accomplishes multiple objectives:

Female nurses/midwives are able to serve within their own communities, where they are trusted by the locals to enter into the female quarters of the house.
Female medical personnel stand out as role-models to younger girls.
They also normalize the idea of women working outside the house, performing life-saving duties.
They become powerful agents of change within their own communities, aware and educated figures, within highly sequestered communities of women and children living in small villages and remote areas.

Cost: It costs USD 1060 ~ USD 1000/girl for one year of college education including board and lodging and transportation.

Consequently, to fully fund 3-years of college education for 20 girls/3 years it will cost Barakat USD 60,000.

*Health Care and Birth Outcomes in Afghanistan: OB-GYN Care for Afghans - MN Dept. of Health. (2021). State.mn.us. https://www.health.state.mn.us/communities/rih/coe/clinical/obafghan/inafghan.html

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College Scholarship Program for Girls in Afghanistan

By BARAKAT Inc

College Scholarship Program for Girls in Afghanistan

Send 20 Afghan Girls to College for 3 Years