“Afghanistan is Not a Single Story” - A letter from our Executive Director

Dear friends,

In August of 2024, I returned to Afghanistan for the first time since the Taliban takeover. What I saw reminded me that there is no single story of Afghanistan. Its truths are as varied as its people and circumstances.

In Kabul, for instance, teachers at our partner school, Breshna Zahra, were continuing to show up every day, even after going a full year without pay. In Parwaneh Village, families who lost everything in the Herat earthquake were rebuilding their homes and sustaining their loved ones through our cash-for-work projects. In Takhar province, our counselors were quietly treating women and girls for anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in local health clinics. In Paktia, our community partners continued to serve as a lifeline for incarcerated women and their children. And in villages across the country, educators were using our technology in creative ways to provide access to education for girls.

Thank you for making these small and large wins possible.

When we set out four years ago, our goal was to reimagine aid work and development as a participatory process - guided by community leaders and rooted in local decision-making. We have stayed true to this core.

At the heart of our work lies a deeper truth: what may appear on the surface as humanitarian aid is, in essence, a quiet defense of people’s dignity, their right to protection, and their chance to participate fully in the life of their communities.

Every choice we make—the partners we stand beside, the projects we nurture, the lives we seek to uplift—flows from a commitment to championing the rights of women and girls.

In 2024, 89% of our projects were women-led or women-focused, affirming that women’s leadership can be prioritized even in the harshest of political climates.

Afghanistan may no longer dominate headlines, but for those who remain, life continues—stitched together by faith, community, and countless small acts of care.

Thank you for not leaving us behind, for trusting us to do this work, and for continuing to be our champions.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Ilaha Eli Omar

Executive Director & Co-Founder

Uplift Afghanistan Fund