"I will stand by my students and my girls until the last breath I have," ~Razia Jan

On this difficult day, it is hard not to reflect on what 20 years of war have brought. This day is also #WomensEqualityDay and the silver lining from two decades of trauma has been the amazing progress for women and girls' rights, education, and well-being in Afghanistan thanks to the heroic work of extraordinary organizations such as Razia Jan's Razia's Ray of Hope Foundation

Jan told The Patriot Ledger that the education of nearly an entire generation of girls in the region has led to a shift in how women are perceived by themselves, their peers, and men in their communities-

"I have great hope. I think that the last 20 years have made a great difference in the awareness of self-respect, self-care, and being a person of our own for women and girls," she said. "I think it has changed, and men are – in my area – really respecting these girls. They are not selling them, not giving them away, or forcing marriage. These are the things that I see every day and I believe in all of these young women."

To help support the girls and women of Afghanistan with hope and heart visit Razia Jan's Go Fund Me page

Read about the lives of Afghan Women and Girls-A Mighty Girl has a great booklist

You can also support efforts to help women and girls in Afghanistan through Women for Afghan Women