Our Mission Statement

Since the U.S. troops pulled out of Afghanistan in August 2021, the country has faced significant instability and change. Under Taliban rule, women’s rights are being severely restricted in ways unseen for decades. The Taliban has systematically created an atmosphere of fear for Afghan women, depriving them of almost all human rights. In Southern Afghanistan, women have been banished from the workforce and denied access to education, decent healthcare, and even safety in their own homes.

Action for Afghan Women (AFAW) is a 501c3 nonprofit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to empowering women in one of the most conservative areas of Afghanistan, the Helmand province. We are achieving this by bringing an American-trained female doctor to the region and building a health clinic where she can provide care to more 24,000 women and children annually. The doctor, Mariam, is from the area, so she understands the cultural norms and the dire need to help her fellow countrywomen.

AFAW awarded a medical school scholarship to Mariam in 2016. She was selected through a rigorous process for her motivation, tenacity, and passion for improving the lives of women and children in Southern Afghanistan. Our founder, Paula Nirschel, knew Mariam from her previous nonprofit work. When Mariam completes her medical training in a couple of years, she will return home as the first U.S.-trained female physician in Southern Afghanistan.

In Afghanistan, it is typically not considered culturally appropriate for women to see male doctors, especially in conservative areas like the Helmand province. That's why female doctors are necessary to provide healthcare to women and girls. An all-women-run clinic will provide a safe environment, ensuring women receive the necessary and deserving medical care for their health and wellness.

Our work is twofold: We are committed to supporting Mariam through medical school and building the clinic so she can begin serving women as soon as she returns home.