Eloha, 18, Kyrgyzstan
Basic need(s):
Education, Environment, Safety
Project:
Afghan New Generation
Eloha was four months old when her parents emigrated from Afghanistan. “They wanted to give me a better life and education with the hope that someday their daughter would do something to change the situation in their motherland.” Though she wasn’t there to witness it, Eloha couldn’t escape all of the stories about the millions of innocent civilians being killed senselessly in Afghanistan’s 30-year war era. These atrocities became the stimulant for her project, “Afghan New Generation,” an organization devoted to the rebirth of Afghanistan through education, activism, and the spread of knowledge. The club, which meets on the campus of American University of Central Asia in the Kyrgyz Republic, has impacted over 800 people’s lives with events such as cultural week, workshops, and conferences to name a few. However, “Afghan New Generation” does a lot more than just brainstorming reconstruction strategies. Eloha noticed that many Afghan students at her school are extremely shy and introverted so one of the lessons she instills is the importance of communication and thus, leadership. Another issue that “Afghan New Generation” tackles is the engrained negative self-image that Afghani women live with. “It is hard because [Afghan] women are taught that they should marry at the age of 15 and give birth to a lot of children. I teach them to be independent and less scared.” Eloha aspires to be a well-respected politician who can bring transformation and diversity to the nation she was born in.
