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Online Academies Provide Education to Over 4,000 Afghan Women Barred by Taliban

Using secure anonymous instruction, these platforms deliver coding, academic courses to women barred by Taliban edicts

Overview

  • Afghan Geeks, founded by Afghan refugee Murtaza Jafari in December, offers Dari-language coding classes at beginner to advanced levels for 28 women and mentors graduates into remote internships.
  • Vision Online University, launched by a student nicknamed Zuhal with a university professor, now employs 150 volunteer instructors to teach subjects ranging from languages and psychology to nursing and public speaking to over 4,000 women.
  • Both initiatives require students to remain anonymous, prohibit video sharing and use secure online platforms to protect participants from Taliban reprisals.
  • Mentoring in job placement and digital skill development provides a rare avenue for Afghan women to access online work opportunities after most professions were closed under the Taliban.
  • Organizers face persistent challenges including limited funding, costly internet access and erratic connectivity but continue to expand course offerings to meet growing demand.