My Nonprofit Reviews

From the piece in the New York Times by Rod Nordland on October 19, 2014:
Bartered Away at Age 5, Now Trying to Escape to a Life She Chooses

"Women for Afghan Women (which) is the largest private organization in Afghanistan operating shelters and other facilities for women in crisis."

As co-founder, board member and full-time volunteer for WAW, I can say without any hesitation that WAW is an incredibly empowering space for all the women, children and men we serve as well as those of us who work and volunteer there; WAW advocates tirelessly and boldly for the human rights of Afghans; and the work I do in WAW has been the most meaningful and the most humbling in my life.

Women for Afghan Women is a 12 year old human rights organization which is saving and transforming lives across Afghanistan and in New York. I am honored to be a co-founder of this organization, and a full-time volunteer. I am so very proud of WAW because we have been bold -- when no one else will take on a case or a controversial position, we will stick our necks out because it is the right thing to do. We walk a fine line between a commitment to women's human rights and a commitment to local Afghan community -- we are able to be unwaveringly true to both these commitments! WAW has been in the international news for our care (shelter, medical care, legal representation) of the following high profile cases: Bibi Aisha, Mumtaz, Sahar Gul, Gul Meena.

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As board member and co-founder, and now, full time volunteer for Women for Afghan Women, I feel uniquely positioned to review the organization. I am based in NY, and am engaged in usual board duties, but also fundraising, advocacy and communications work. The real stars of WAW are our staff, 430 of them in Afghanistan and 4 in New York, all led by our amazing leader Manizha Naderi, quietly fierce, unstoppable, unwavering in her mission to fight for Afghan women's rights, their very lives. Our organization is extremely efficient -- we utilize the help of hundreds of volunteers, and put almost all the money we raise into programs. In spite of the uncertain future of Afghanistan, WAW is expanding--by the end of 2014, we will be running programs in two new provinces, ten in total. And we would like to expand even further.

I have been involved in many women's organizations and what I love most about WAW is that we are at once strident in our advocacy at the international level, and rooted in grassroots work at the local level. We maintain footholds in both those arenas, ensuring that the most local grassroots voices are heard in the most global settings for policymaking and decision-making. I also love WAW's ability to promote women's human rights in the most conservative communities. We work with religious leaders, community elders and other community leaders, persuading them to champion our cause. Our organization really is a labor of love, and our community-rootedness is the reason our model is successful.

Please consider supporting WAW in any way that is possible for you.
* Let us know if you'd like to volunteer for WAW.
* Organize an event in your community to raise funds and awareness
* Send us a check. Your donation will literally save lives. Be generous.
* Find a way to help us make our May 30th Gala event successful. Get a company or business you know to sponsor the gala at any level. Purchase tickets and attend!

Thank you!
Sunita Viswanath

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