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Courage to Grow
                    Knowledge to Lead
                                        Power to Change

SOLA is a people-to-people, non-profit organization dedicated to furthering educa­tional and leadership opportunities for the new generation of Afghan women. SOLA's 2012–13 student body represents 14 provinces, with 25 students at SOLA's preparatory program in Kabul and 31 SOLA alumni in school in the U.S., Bangladesh, Jordan and the UK.

Subscribe to SOLA newsletters here!

Father's Day — 16 June 2013

SOLA students celebrate their fathers and mothers — Ten student reflections

SOLA's 2013 application period opens

Please visit admissions.

Scholarships awarded in 2013

Anisgul — 8th Grader, Newtown Friends School — Newtown, Pennsylvania
Asma — Freshman, Oregon Episcopal School — Portland, Oregon
Basbibi — Freshman, Montclair State University — Montclair, New Jersey
Farahnaz — Senior, Westover School — Middlebury, Connecticut
Fatima — Freshman, Bates College — Lewiston, Maine
Humaira — Junior, Blair Academy — Blairstown, New Jersey
Mahboba — Freshman, Southern New Hampshire University — Hooksett, NH
Maryam — Freshman, The Loomis Chaffee School — Windsor, Connecticut
Nahida — Freshman, Oregon Episcopal School — Portland, Oregon
Palwasha — Freshman, Brooks School — North Andover, Massachusetts
Sabira — Post Graduate, Stoneleigh-Burnham School — Greenfield, Massachusetts
Seema — Post Graduate, Northfield Mount Hermon — Gill, Massachusetts
Shogofa — Sophomore transfer, Regis College — Weston, Massachusetts
Shukria — Freshman, Southern New Hampshire University — Hooksett, NH
                                                        ———
Asma — Summer Program, Explo at Wellesley — Wellesley, Massachusetts
Anisgul, Asma & Nahida — Summer Program, New Hampton School — New
           Hampton, New Hampshire
Basbibi, Humaira, Sabira, Seema, Shukria & Wasima
           Summer Intensive College English, Middlebury-Monterey Institute of
           International Studies, Salve Regina College — Newport, Rhode Island
Mahboba & Shukria — Intensive English Program, Southern New
           Hampshire University — Hooksett, New Hampshire
Maryam — Summer Program, The Loomis Chaffee School — Windsor, Connecticut
Nahida — Summer Program, Worcester Academy — Worcester, Massachusetts
Palwasha — Summer Boarding School, Wolfeboro — Wolfeboro, New Hampshire
Sabira — Leadership Institute, Brown University — Providence, Rhode Island
Zahra — Summer Session, Northfield Mount Hermon — Gill, Massachusetts

Pennsylvania raises over $10,000 for SOLA!

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Is School Worth Dying For?

We in the U.S. and developed world cannot imagine education suddenly made illegal for girls, punishable not only by our own deaths, but by the death of our families for allowing us to go to school and the death by beheading of our teachers. But that's what happened in the chaos after the U.S./Soviet Cold War opened the door for the Taliban to take over Afghanistan. 
Read more.


International Women's Day

SOLA students celebrate the role of women — Six student reflections

Educating Girls — and Changing the World

video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player
18 Apr. 2013 — Shabana speaks at the World Bank at a rally for girls and women in 10×10's global campaign to educate girls with World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Girl Rising: A Rally for Girls and Women
The World Bank & 10x10
26 Feb. 2013 — Shabana speaks on a panel highlighting the transformative impact of women in society at the UN in Geneva with UN Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.
The Power of Empowered Women
UN Women Ambassadors, Geneva
1 Dec. 2012 — Shabana speaks at TEDx Women in Washington, D.C., about the power of a family's decision to believe in their daughters in Afghanistan.

TEDxWomen 2012
  • 315,398 views
  • 114 comments
  • Apr. 20, 2013

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Talks
| TEDx

10 Oct. 2012 — Shabana speaks in New York on the eve of the International Day of the Girl to launch 10×10's global campaign to educate girls.

International Day of the Girl
10×10 "Girl Rising" Global Ambassador

SOLA News

  • Newsletter V: To hear them is to hope (02/14/13)
  • Newsletter IV: Young Afghan Reflections (12/28/12)
  • Newsletter III: Spotlight on Volunteers (12/12/12)
  • Newsletter II: SOLA Rising (10/16/12)
  • SOLA helps C. Amanpour launch campaign for girls education (10/10/12)
  • Newsletter I: New Beginnings (10/06/12)
  • First Day of School (09/28/12)
  • Admissions closed (08/29/12)
  • Admissions open for 2012-13...
  • Zeinab N. to Asian U. for Women...
  • Wali H. to King's Academy, Jordan...
  • Sabira M.,  Young Leader & Scholar...


... MORE NEWS ...

Highlights: SOLA in the Press

  • YES Alumna to Deliver Keynote — Impact stories on YES Program 10th anniversary.
  • Empowering fathers and daughters, New York Times International Weekly (12/20/12)
  • SOLA's Managing Director speaks at TedX Women Event (12/01/12)
  • "Afghan student at NMH," Greenfield Recorder (10/30/12) - Fatima
  • SOLA's Managing Director is cited in the L.A. Times (10/14/12)
  • SOLA Managing Director on CNN International and on CNN Amanpour (10/11/12)
  • SOLA Managing Director on U.S. national radio morning news (10/11/12)
  • Board member gives TedX talk at Yale — Wazhma
  • Head of School delivers TedX address at Middlebury — Shabana
  • Student brings out the best in man when struck by rocket that killed his brother, The Times (17 Nov 2011) — Najeeb

... MORE PRESS ...


Investing in SOLA changes lives!


Educate a girl — and change the world