April 2025 | By Women for Afghan Women
At just nine years old, Hamida has already experienced more hardship than many face in a lifetime. But her story is also one of hope; hope made possible by care, compassion, and community.
Hamida was born into a home marked by instability and abuse. Her mother had been married off to a much older man who was a widower struggling with addiction and the responsibilities of raising children from a previous marriage. Life in their home was filled with violence. Hamida recalls, “My mother was much younger than my father, who was also a drug addict. He used to beat my mother and never treated her like a human being.”
Eventually, Hamida’s mother fled the home with another man in search of safety, but they were arrested and imprisoned. At such a young age, Hamida was taken to live with her mother in prison. “Life in prison was very hard,” she remembers. “We never got healthy food, blankets, or education.”
That’s when Women for Afghan Women (WAW) stepped in.
WAW staff visited the prison and spoke with Hamida’s mother about enrolling her in our Children’s Support Center (CSC) in Kandahar. Her mother agreed, and Hamida’s life began to change. “At the CSC, I felt so happy,” Hamida says. “I loved the environment, food, classes, and care I got. For once, I felt safe.”
In just a few months, Hamida went from surviving to thriving. She became the top student in her class and began working through her trauma with WAW’s mental health professionals. But the challenges didn’t stop there.
When the de facto government in Afghanistan banned women from working at NGOs, WAW was forced to close the CSC where Hamida lived. While this center was impacted, many of WAW’s CSCs across Afghanistan remain open and continue to provide children with critical care. Even in the face of these challenges, WAW remained committed to Hamida’s future. Through our Cash Assistance Project (CAP), we supported her safe transition into her aunt’s home, where she continues to live safely and attend school.
“With WAW’s support, I can still go to school,” Hamida shares. “I want to be a doctor one day. I am really thankful to my aunt for taking me in and for WAW for taking care of all of us.”
Hamida’s journey is one of thousands. Every child deserves safety, care, and the chance to dream of a brighter future. At WAW, we’re doing everything we can to make that possible.
Will you support children like Hamida?
With a donation of $3,000, you can fund a full year of safety and care for a child in Afghanistan through WAW’s Children’s Support Program.
Donate now and #investinHER future.
