“I was happy for myself because I could finally continue my life — but so sad for the many girls left behind who may never fulfill their dreams.” — Fershta
When the Taliban banned girls from schools and universities in 2021, Fershta lost more than her education — she lost the future she had spent years building.
Born in Kabul, Fershta was a top student and a passionate community volunteer. She graduated with top honors from high school, scoring the equivalent of a perfect 4.0 GPA, and was accepted into her dream university to study international relations. Her excitement was palpable. Then, just two semesters into her program, everything stopped.
“I remember crying, not knowing what to do,” Fershta recalls.
A few months after the return of the Taliban, women were barred from education and public life. Fershta, like millions of Afghan girls, was suddenly confined to her home.
But she found ways to keep going.
Learning in Secret
Determined to continue learning, Fershta enrolled in an online course jointly offered by Kardon University and Princeton University. She began researching women’s rights under Taliban rule and published a comparison study on the group’s first and second regimes.
“After my research was published, I told myself: I have to do something.”
Fershta founded International Women’s Relief and Development — a grassroots effort to provide online English classes for Afghan girls. What started with 10 students quickly grew to 100. All of it was done in secret, to protect the students and instructors from Taliban reprisals.
She also began volunteering with local organizations — working on human rights and dignity initiatives — all behind closed doors.
“We often didn’t have electricity or internet,” she said. “Sometimes, I couldn’t even charge my laptop. We weren’t allowed to go outside without a male relative. Imagine just sitting at home, day after day, with no freedom.”
Finding Safety
Fershta’s parents were both professionals. Her father worked for the World Bank and her mother was a teacher who had collaborated with U.S. institutions. As the Taliban's grip tightened, the family began applying for protection in multiple countries — the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States, and Canada.
Though they were approved for resettlement in the United States, her father initially hesitated, hoping the Taliban had changed. But once girls were banned from school, he knew it was time to leave.
The family arrived at a refugee camp in Qatar in January 2024. There, Fershta continued her passion for service — volunteering with the International Organization for Migration as a computer instructor and translator.
In February 2024, the family landed at Dulles International Airport and was greeted by an LSSNCA case manager.
“They got us a taxi, took us to a temporary place, and then found us an apartment,” Fershta said. “When we moved into our apartment, everything was set up — furniture, supplies, everything. It felt like home.”
A New Chapter, With New Dreams
Starting over in a new country wasn’t easy. Fershta was nervous. She needed to improve her English, learn how the U.S. education system worked, and figure out how to apply to college and for financial aid.
With the help of an LSSNCA school liaison, she navigated FAFSA forms, explored universities, and attended local workshops to meet new people. She’s now studying hard to take an English exam so she can start college in Virginia.
“I’m very lucky,” she says. “LSSNCA helped me every step of the way.”
As she awaits to take her English exam that will bring her one step closer to her college enrollment, she hopes to open a childcare center tailored specifically for immigrant families. She’s currently earning her Child Development Associate certification and participating in SOAR — an entrepreneurship initiative co-led by LSSNCA and George Mason University.
Fershta continues to volunteer with her own organization, which now serves more than 2,000 women and girls across the globe, and recently interned with LSSNCA as a digital literacy trainer.
Meanwhile, her brothers are thriving in high school — both top students in schools — and her mother is now teaching in a local high school after recertifying her credentials.
“Life in America can be very hard,” she says. “We lost everything in [a] short period of time. But now we are here and we’re starting again.”
Thanks to the support of our community, LSSNCA continues to fulfill the nation’s promise to Afghan allies and new arrivals. From providing legal and housing assistance to education, mentorship, and wellness services, we help program participants like Fershta rebuild and thrive.
But we can’t do it alone.
Donate today to help us keep that promise alive.
Let’s ensure that A Promise Made becomes a promise fulfilled — for Fershta, and for thousands like her.
