A Space of Their Own
Can you imagine building a women’s center in Afghanistan today?
A small group of Afghan women in Kandahar have…
A sage Chinese proverb advises, “It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness.”
Despite overwhelming oppression, Afghan women continue to bring light to the dark days they find themselves in.
Afghan women are pragmatic, tenacious, and creative as they continue to adjust to the new reality around them. Their genius is expressed in their courage and their will to continue to dream and invest in a future.
To the surprise of many, the Taliban are still allowing women to engage in economic empowerment opportunities. Women continue to run their own small or medium-sized businesses; this may be the only gateway to engage with Afghan women in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future.
Today there is a unique opportunity for us to support Afghan women by investing in the creation of a Women’s Center in Kandahar, Afghanistan.
Afghan women are extending an invitation to you to join them in their strategic, quiet, and facilitated process of impacting change for themselves and their daughters through investing in a permanent center for their work, education, and care in Kandahar, Afghanistan – the very province out of which the Taliban rules the country.
A permanent location for girls and women in Kandahar would secure a bold financial and social statement for Afghan women and the movement to restore their rights.
A permanent Women’s Center in Kandahar will provide a sanctuary to help all the women it will serve – psychologically, spiritually, educationally, and economically. Investing in real estate is a sustainable next step for the hard-working, resilient, and creative women of Kandahar. We invite you to join the mission of empowering Afghan women, transforming their daughter’s futures, and igniting positive change for women’s rights. Your personal pledge and financial gift will make a profound difference, as we work together to light the way.
Rangina Hamidi
Professor of Practice, Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University
Former Minister of Education, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Founder, Kandahar Treasure
The news coming from Afghanistan is bleak, but there is something you can do to change it.
Financially invest in the creation of a permanent women’s center in Afghanistan. Donate to our 501(c)(3) non-profit partner Ibu Foundation, serving as our fiscal agent free-of-charge. Make checks payable to “Ibu Foundation.” For 100% of your gift to directly support the center, write “Kandahar Treasure Women’s Center” in the memo line of your check and mail it to:
Ibu Foundation
183B King Street
Charleston, SC 29401
If you prefer an alternative method of payment, please contact us here.
Ibu Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is governed by a Board of Directors. All donations to Ibu Foundation are tax deductible. Tax ID: 27-4660946
WOMEN'S CENTER IN KANDAHAR
A MARKET FOR WOMAN ONLY
A SPACE FOR ARTISANS & THEIR KIDS TO PLAY & RELAX
EATERY & GATHERING CAFE
BATHROOMS & SHOWER FACILITIES
A SECURE WORK ENVIRONMENT FOR WOMEN
TRAINING CLASSES & FINANCIAL TRAINING
GOAL: $400,000
Investing in the creation of a Women’s Center in Kandahar, Afghanistan will:
- Provide a permanent home to Kandahar Treasure, a social enterprise providing employment opportunities for hundreds of women across Kandahar,
- Establish a training/educational facility to teach young women critical business and entrepreneurial skills,
- Create a marketplace for women by women,
- Build a garden and playground area for children who accompany their mothers,
- Offer public bathroom facilities for women who currently have no access to public bathrooms,
- Create a restaurant/kitchen for women to socialize with their sisters, and
- Build a safe space for women to breathe, drink tea, laugh, and just be.
The International Crisis Group published its latest report in February 2023 titled Taliban Restrictions on Women’s Rights Deepen Afghanistan’s Crisis. The report concludes that “practical steps that materially benefit Afghan women, improving their lives in tangible ways, would be superior to angry denunciations of the Taliban’s wrongheadedness.”
Creating a permanent Women’s Center in Kandahar, Afghanistan, is a practical and a tangible step toward improving the lives of Afghan women now and for decades to come.
