Resources
Everything we would hand a student on day one
For students
Learning materials and platforms
- English testing
Duolingo English Test — official practice
Free practice tests and a full breakdown of the test format. Work through these before you use a donated coupon; the coupon is single-use.
Open resource
- General study
Khan Academy
Free maths, science and computing lessons from primary through early university level, available in several languages.
Open resource
- Certificates
Coursera — financial aid
University courses with certificates. Coursera grants financial aid on application, which makes most of the catalogue free for AYLA students.
Open resource
- German
Goethe-Institut German practice
Free exercises and exam preparation for A1 through C2, useful for students in AYLA's German class working toward B1 and B2.
Open resource
- AYLA material
AYLA course packs and recorded lectures
Materials from previous rounds — English, computer skills, graphic design and essay writing. Request access and tell us which course you need.
Request from AYLA
- Applications
Scholarship application checklist
The checklist AYLA's Scholarship Tips class works from: documents to gather, deadlines to track and what to write when a transcript cannot be obtained.
Request from AYLA
For families
If someone in your household wants to study
- For guardians
What an AYLA class actually involves
A plain explanation of the time commitment, the platform, who else is in the class and what data a student needs — written for a parent or guardian deciding whether to say yes.
Request from AYLA
- Safety
Keeping a learner safe online
How AYLA protects student identities, what we never publish, and how to set up a shared device so a girl's study is not visible to anyone outside the household.
Request from AYLA
- Practical
Studying on a shared phone
Practical advice from moderators on attending a live class with limited data, intermittent power and one device between siblings.
Request from AYLA
Partner organisations
Where else to turn
Ideas Beyond Border
Funded internet packages for roughly 300 students and 10 volunteers in Round 5, and supported five AYLA members inside Afghanistan.
Duolingo English Test
Provides the free test coupons at the centre of AYLA's English certification initiative.
Hazara Resource Center
US-based nonprofit that supported AYLA's online courses with internet packages and Google Meet access in Round 2.
FAQ
Questions we are asked most
Who can join an AYLA course?
Afghan students who are shut out of formal education — in practice, overwhelmingly girls and young women inside Afghanistan, plus students who have been displaced to neighbouring countries. Classes are placed by level, not by age, and there is no fee at any point.
What does a course cost a student?
Nothing. Teaching is volunteered and coordination is volunteered. The only real cost is internet data, and where a student cannot cover it, sponsors fund a monthly package so attendance does not depend on being able to pay.
What do I need to attend?
A phone or laptop, a Google account for Google Meet, and enough data to join a live session. Students who have never attended an online class before are supported through the setup by their class moderator.
How do I apply for a free Duolingo English Test coupon?
Coupons are awarded in rounds through an open application. AYLA reviews academic readiness, financial need and what a student concretely plans to do with the score. Contact us to be told when the next round opens.
Can I volunteer if I am not Afghan and do not speak Dari or Pashto?
Yes. Several of AYLA's teachers are international volunteers who teach in English. What matters is that you can commit to a set weekly slot for the length of a round — around three months — because students build their week around it.
How much of a donation reaches students?
AYLA is volunteer-run, so there are no salaries to cover. Donations go to the two things that are unavoidably paid for: internet packages and English test fees. Round 5 cost $5,100 in total for roughly 300 students.
Why are there no photographs of students on this site?
Because publishing them could put a girl in danger. AYLA's reports include class screenshots for donors, but nothing that identifies a current student inside Afghanistan is published publicly without her consent.
How can I support girls' education where I live?
Fund a Duolingo coupon or a month of data — both are small, specific and immediately usable. Beyond that: sponsor a student's test fees, offer a weekly teaching slot, or connect AYLA to a university or NGO that works with displaced students.
Still stuck? Send us a message
Take the next step
One coupon. One month of data. One girl still in school.
AYLA runs on volunteered hours and small, specific donations. Round 5 cost $5,100 and taught around 300 students — that is roughly $17 per girl, per round.