One of the Giving First recipients this summer is Educate Girls Now.   Educate Girls Now is committed to empowering and providing an education to Afghan girls at risk of becoming child brides. They have saved 54 Afghan girls under the age of 15 from forced childhood marriages. Since all schools and universities are now closed to girls, students who participate in Educate Girls Now have access to home tutors and online classes.  These courses are offered in addition to a monthly stipend paid to mothers  for food, shelter, clothing and fuel. Their new project began in the fall of 2022 when the Taliban banned girls from all schools and universities in Afghanistan, EGN’s new project provides our high school girls with the educational support to be accepted and succeed at the Asian University for Women. To accomplish this, our three Afghan team leaders, three teachers and principal dedicate their time to providing home tutors, and online English courses by our Afghan teachers.

Once girls are accepted at AUW, EGN arranges for passports, visas, and airfare for a male family member to travel with them per Taliban law. Throughout this process, EGN’s principal and hard working board coordinate all services, including supervising teachers, liaising with AUW staff, advising the students on medical, psychosocial, and academic matters and helping the girls adjust to their new life outside Afghanistan and away from their families. Nine more girls are preparing to attend AUW in the fall.

Note: During the months of June, July and August the Giving First team usually chooses two recipients and they split the plate total at the end of the summer. The other Giving First recipient will be the Massachusetts Building Electrification Accelerator