Skip to content
AYLA

Stories of hope

Her voice, her future

Everything on this page is quoted from AYLA's own round reports — written by the students and teachers themselves at the end of a course, not collected for a fundraising page.
Become one of these teachers

Student success stories

What a round of classes looks like from the inside

Students are quoted by name here because they wrote these words for AYLA's report and consented to their use. Current students inside Afghanistan are never identified without that consent.

“From the very first day, it was evident that our instructor was not just knowledgeable and skilled, but someone genuinely passionate about the subject matter.”

Her enthusiasm and dedication were contagious, and it made every session a joy to attend. The AYLA team always created a warm and inclusive learning environment, where everyone felt comfortable asking questions and sharing their thoughts. It was evident that a lot of effort went into tailoring the course content to meet the needs of diverse learners. Your belief in our potential and your encouragement throughout the course truly motivated me to strive for excellence. It has been an incredibly enriching experience, and I am leaving with a wealth of knowledge and fond memories.

Fatema Faizi

Student, Advanced English — Round 5

Where students go

  • University admission abroad

    Students who certified their English with a donated Duolingo coupon have gone on to higher education institutions in the United States and Europe.

  • German-language pathways

    Students in the German class are working toward B1 and B2 certification, with test fees offered by their own volunteer teachers.

  • Remote, paid work

    Graphic design and computer skills courses exist to open remote work — one of the few routes to financial independence available to women inside Afghanistan.

  • Teaching the next round

    AYLA's moderators are largely former students. Finishing a course is often the first step toward running one.

Teachers making a difference

Every teacher in this programme volunteered

Some are Afghan professionals in the diaspora, some stayed, and some are international educators who found AYLA and offered their evenings.

“Proficiency in English opens up opportunities for communication, education, and future career prospects.”

As a volunteer teacher of English for the Intermediate Class at the Afghanistan Youth Leaders Assembly, I must express my admiration for the initiative and the impact it is making in the lives of Afghan girls who are deprived of education. In the 5th round of the classes, I have observed significant progress in the English language skills of the girls attending. Despite facing numerous challenges in accessing education, they have shown dedication and enthusiasm in their learning journey. Learning English enables these girls to better advocate for themselves and their communities. It can empower them to become leaders and agents of change, breaking the barriers imposed on them.

Mohammad Maisam Sultani

Volunteer teacher, Intermediate English — Round 5

Round 5 teaching team

  • Cara Cruickshank

    Feminism & Self Empowerment

  • Mohammad Amin Rezaei

    Graphic Design

  • Sonya Nawabi

    Computer Skills

  • Golsum Bayat

    Basic English

  • Zahra Hussaini

    Basic English — Group 2

  • Sarah Shoniker

    Intermediate English

  • Mohammad Maisam Sultani

    Intermediate English — Group 2

  • Saharnaz Shaheen

    Advanced English

  • Fahima Rashidi

    German Language

  • Basira Nazari

    Email and Essay Writing

Join them

Community champions

The moderators are the reason the classes hold together

A moderator takes attendance, distributes materials, records a lecture each month and answers the questions students are too shy to ask in class. Most of them are AYLA's own former students.

Round 5 moderators

  • Marwa Ali

    Feminism & Self Empowerment

  • Nasima Yousfi

    Graphic Design

  • Zohal Noori

    Computer Skills

  • Taieba Safi

    Basic English

  • Mitra Akrami

    Basic English — Group 2

  • Mariam Ali

    Intermediate & Advanced English

  • Khojasta Salehin

    Intermediate English — Group 2

  • Elina Sadat

    German Language

  • Atifa Wardak

    Email and Essay Writing

“Working together, we overcame challenges, forged new friendships, and brought hope to underprivileged communities.”

I would like to commend the entire team for their exceptional efforts during Round 5 of classes. The dedication and sacrifices made by each member have resulted in a resounding success. Our collaborative spirit, diverse perspectives, and commitment to empowering women have truly made a positive impact. By revitalizing the education system and expanding access to knowledge, we have lit the path for a brighter future.

Sayeed Abolfazl Rezavi

Technical Advisor, AYLA Online Courses

Multimedia gallery, 2019–2025

Why this gallery is a timeline and not a photo wall

AYLA's archive is full of class screenshots and summit photographs, and almost all of them show the faces of girls who are currently studying in secret. Those images go to funders in the round reports. They do not go on a public website.

  1. August 2019

    Youth Summit for Peace

    AYLA's first major project. One hundred university students across Balkh and Baghlan provinces took part in a two-day programme, presenting their ideas on peace and education to a panel of four academic judges.

  2. 2020

    Working through COVID-19

    In-person convening became impossible. The team kept its social initiatives running and began learning how to organise remotely — groundwork that mattered more than anyone expected.

  3. Ramadan, 2021

    Humanitarian food distribution

    AYLA ran a fundraising campaign to distribute food packages to families in need, during a period of acute crisis for the communities its students live in.

  4. Late 2021

    Girls barred from classrooms

    With most universities, schools and learning centres closed to girls, AYLA launched an online education initiative for young Afghan women shut out of education.

  5. 2023

    Duolingo English Test partnership

    AYLA partnered with the Duolingo English Test team to award free test coupons to Afghan applicants, primarily women — removing the single most common cost barrier to applying abroad.

  6. June – September 2023

    Round 5: eleven classes, 300 students

    The largest round so far. Eleven simultaneous classes ran across languages, digital skills, academic writing and self-empowerment, funded by a $5,100 grant from Ideas Beyond Border.

  7. May 2025

    5,000 students and counting

    AYLA reported that the online programme had served more than 5,000 students across fourteen provinces, with over forty Duolingo coupons awarded and recipients studying in the United States and Europe.

Read the news archiveRequest the full reports

Add a story

The next round has students but not yet enough teachers.

If you can hold one live class a week for three months, you become the person a student writes about in the next report.

Volunteer to teachFund a student