Esmat Roshangar, a young Hazara Afghan refugee, has been accepted to the American University of Paris (AUP) for his undergraduate studies! AUP has provided a generous financial aid package, but there is still a tuition shortfall of $10,784 per year and a need for funding or in-kind support for housing so that Esmat can live safely in Paris and maintain a high GPA to retain his scholarships. Esmat successfully completed the Spring 2024 semester and maintained a 3.0 GPA to keep his scholarship, but was unable to enroll for the Fall 2024 semester because he did not have enough funding to pay the tuition shortfall ($5,000) to attend.
Please Help us to raise the tuition difference so that Esmat can continue his studies. He has some support from a network of volunteers that generously assist with his basic living expenses, but the tuition amount is out of reach for now. This Giving Tuesday, please support Esmat's academic journey through a tax deductible contribution to him via the World Hazara Council-USA.
Caption: Esmat leading a session on youth in leadership and decision-making during a youth empowerment program | July 21, 2021.
The Ask: Any amount will help, but here are a few suggested donation levels:
- $20 will cover a meal
- $50 will cover a textbook
- $75 will cover a month of Esmat's monthly transportation costs (Navigo pass)
- $1000 will cover a month of living expenses.
- $5392 = One semester of tuition and fees
The World Hazara Council-USA is generously letting us use their platform to fundraise for Esmat, so 5% of all donations will be set aside for them to support other Hazara who are still in need.
Esmat's Story in his words:
“Growing up in a small village in Afghanistan, I experienced the hardship of war and ethnic persecution. I educated myself with the dream of becoming an advocate for peace, gender, and ethnic equality. I have gone from being a shepherd tending sheep to becoming a leader and a peace and human rights defender.
My dream for peace, freedom, and equality in Afghanistan is deeply personal. I am a victim of violence, part of an ethnic and religious minority which has been persecuted in Afghanistan for decades: Hazara Shia Muslim. I grew up in Ghor, the poorest state in Afghanistan, in a remote village with few resources and low levels of education. I couldn’t start my education until the age of ten when I was old enough to make the three-hour, round-trip trek to school on foot, while also tending to my family’s sheep. Each morning I woke up early to help my mother milk the sheep before going to school. After school I returned to the mountains to take care of my family’s herd, and this is where I studied.
When I was a teenager, we moved to the city of Herat. For the first year, I lived with my aunt so that I could prepare for school and adapt to an urban lifestyle. I had finished Grades 1 and 2 in my village, and had only the basics of reading and writing plus some basic mathematical skills. My cousins assisted me with my studies and taught me the basics of English. I started school from Grade 3 and was ranked top of my class for academics by the end of the year. In addition to my regular studies, I participated in various exchange and educational programs both within Afghanistan and abroad, funded and designed by the U.S. Government. The programs provided me with a foundation in leadership, peacebuilding, and human rights, as well as English language skills. I gained the skills I needed to help me contribute to the social advancement in my community.
While still in high school, I founded The Young Advocates, a youth activist group working to build peace, protect human rights, and promote equality in Afghanistan. We empowered Afghan girls by developing an athletic program—volleyball, running, bike-riding, and hiking, which ran for five years. We created a volleyball team starting with seven girls, which grew to more than 30 athletes. Four of these girls were part of the national team and contributed to reaching our goals by bringing their friends into sports. We were forced to shut down all of these programs when the Taliban came into power. My success on these projects made me an important target of the Taliban. I fled to Kabul, and a few days later, my family’s house was attacked by the Taliban. I escaped to Pakistan legally and then gained temporary residence in Brazil in February 2022.
Caption: A Safehouse that Esmat lived in while hiding from the Taliban in Kabul.
My short-term goal is to study International and Comparative Politics at AUP, to enhance my knowledge and skills to continue to build on my work in this area. My personal, professional, and educational experiences and my international exchanges have prepared me to study in this field.
My long-term goal is to continue my work and advocate alongside international organizations to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, and to work for the betterment of disadvantaged people, especially girls, women, youth and minorities around the world.
Growing up in a village, being threatened for my work for justice, going into hiding, and managing my life alone as a refugee have shown me that I am resilient and independent. I look to AUP to enable me to pursue my advocacy work, and to become a part of my journey.”
Caption: Esmat giving a speech about the role of sports for promoting peace, reconciliation and gender equality | July 5, 2019.
We are so excited that Esmat has this opportunity to continue his studies and to move forward with his life after the Taliban tried to silence him, but this can only happen with support from our global community. Thank you for sharing Esmat's story! We hope to send him to Paris for the next four years so he can get his Bachelor's degree and also continue the important human rights and gender equality advocacy he began in his home country.
Caption: Esmat talking to the girls cycling team about gender equality in sports and the importance of their participation in sports | April 10, 2020.
