Winter Food and Basic Supplies Appeal for the Afghan families in Afghanistan!

Women Leaders of Tomorrow is putting together basic winter supply packages and food fundraiser for Afghan families in partnership with Aces & Eights. Details are at the attached poster!

Donate today and save a family in the harsh winter of Afghanistan!

DONATE HERE!!! https://donorbox.org/women-leaders-of-tomorrow-in-afghanistan and or https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=K5JJG9JEBA9JU

Crofton House’s Support for WLOT

A big thank you to @CroftonHouse for inspiring solidarity for Afghan women and girls’ education for Women Leaders of Tomorrow. The students also made signs with the message #walkwithafghanwomen #WeStandwithAfghanWomen and #GOAL #WLOT, as well as packed care packages for the newly arrived Afghan refugee families. Such an advocacy could revive hope and end this dark era for women and girls in Afghanistan. Did you know that 5 million girls are out of school? It has been 80 days since girls are prevented from getting an education.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXhkTAGJCYb/?utm_medium=share_sheet

Children’s books!

A child should have always the peace, comfort and home to read books. Not being airlifted by the military airplanes into safety in an emergency evacuation situation. But we are grateful that this little guy’s family is safe and starting a new life in Canada.

Thank you for your gracious children’s books, and school supplies donations to the newly arrived Afghan refugee families. Women Leaders of Tomorrow along with our community partner The Odd Squad Productions Society (OSP) have been collecting various kinds of donations for the Afghan families. You can still donate housewares, winter clothes/shoes, sewing supplies, and irons. Please contact us at donations@womenleaders.ca  anytime. Or if you have a question, please contact us at info@womenleaders.ca. With sincere appreciation💕🇦🇫🇨🇦 @CroftonHouse

Press release: Canada – Honour the Promise – Help to evacuate Afghan female athletes to safety

Hello members and supporters of WLOT,


Please see the attached letter I sent to Prime Minister Trudeau today, along with our press release, and letter to Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Mr. Sean Fraser concerning the extreme danger female athletes in Afghanistan face under the Taliban regime.
This press release concerns the role Canada needs to play in terms of evacuating them and providing them visas immediately. Signatories to this letter include the Canadian gold medal winning Soccer team from the 2020 Summer Olympics and numerous other notable athletes and public figures.

Should you have any questions regarding this campaign, please do not hesitate to contact us. 

Call for Applications – WUSC

Hello folks,

Women Leaders of Tomorrow’s partner organization WUSC has recently launched Call for Applications for the Student Refugee Program in Pakistan. The Afghan refugee students are encouraged to apply. For further details please check below and or send an email to info@womenleaders.ca.

[Call for applications in Pakistan!] WUSC invites suitably qualified candidates based in Pakistan to apply for the Student Refugee Program (SRP). Find the Call for Application here: http://bit.ly/2S8kUfk–

-[L’EUMC invite les candidats qualifiés basés au Pakistan à poser leur candidature pour le Programme d’étudiants et d’étudiants réfugiés (PER). Trouvez l’appel à candidature ici: http://bit.ly/2S8kUfkThe Student Refugee Program (SRP) is a unique program that combines resettlement to Canada with access to post-secondary education for young refugees.srp.wusc.caPotential Sponsored Students – Student Refugee ProgramThe Student Refugee Program (SRP) is a unique program that combines resettlement to Canada with access to post-secondary education for young refugees.The Student Refugee Program (SRP) is a unique program that combines resettlement to Canada with access to post-secondary education for young refugees.

Judo family!

Judo means respect and friendship. The bond between people of Afghanistan and Uzbekistan is strong. We are all one big Judo family! 💕🥋

Afghanistan aims for Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

رهبری دختران افغانستان – راد!

Friba Rezayee Speaking on Remembrance Day at UBC

The ED of Women Leaders of Tomorrow was invited to speak at UBC War Memorial Gym on November 11 Remembrance day. The Afghan women and all Afghans thank the Canadian military services in Afghanistan. She ended her speech by saying “Let the value and legacy of democracy, human rights, and freedom live forever” #LestWeForget 🇦🇫🇨🇦♥️ You can watch and listen her full speech at 👉 https://events.ubc.ca/ubc-remembers/

Afghan girls’ education and sport were discussed at Crofton House Vancouver

The ED of Women Leaders of Tomorrow spoke about the importance of girls’ education, and sport and why that it is imperative to act now in Afghanistan at Crofton House in Vancouver. Everyone respected the fact that education is a human rights and human rights are universal.

The Crofton House also organized the 45 minutes walk with the following hashtags #WalkWithAfghanWomen #WLOT #GOAL #GirlsOfAfghanistanLead they are generously doanted care packages to the newly arrived Afghan refugee families 💕 Thank you!

رهبری دختران افغانستان – ردا

From Newfoundland to Kabul!

From Newfoundland Canada to Kabul Afghanistan. Afghan girls education and learning are unstoppable – learning is our right.

Thanks to the volunteer teachers who teach and tutor the young and bright girls whom our futures reliant on. They are the women Leaders or tomorrow.

Did you know that one of our student wants to become the first woman president in Afghanistan? You can learn more about her by reading this article at SaltWire!

GirlsofAfghanistanLead #WalkwithAfghanwomen #WLOT

https://www.saltwire.com/newfoundland-labrador/opinion/local-perspectives/ann-willis-why-this-newfoundlander-is-tutoring-a-girl-in-kabul-despite-the-taliban-100654058/

WLOT Supports International Day of Judo October 28, 2021

With the cooperation of the Afghan Judo federation, WLOT was able support the International Day of the Judo in Baghlan Afghanistan.

In recognition of World Judo Day October 28th 2021, the head of the Baghlan province Judo association, Mr. Rustom, has organized a friendly Judo tournament locally. A number of young boys, adolescents and adults have participated in the competition. After the competition, he rewarded a number of young and adult Judokas higher belts and certificates. All of the certificates were approved by International Judo Federation, with the international IJF logo on them.

Photo credit: Rustom

You can read the full report in the link below:

Putting the Theory of Women Empowerment into Practice

Women Leaders of Tomorrow puts women’s empowerment theory into practice when it comes to Afghan girls’ education. Thanks to our generous donors and supporters who made it possible for these girls to continue their education under the Taliban regime. These young women are still studying while the Taliban banned girls’ education above 6th grade, and all schools are closed.

You can join our effort to advocate by organizing the 45 minutes #WalkWithAfghanWomen and #GirlsofAfghanistanLead. For further information please contact WLOT at info@womenleaders.ca

Students of WLOT in Afghanistan

Knowledge is Power

“Education is Power” let’s keep the power going. The extremist rulers have said the move is only temporary. But it’s been more than a month, and hundreds of thousands of female students remain stuck at home, with their dreams and potential at risk of being squandered #CBC

Did you know there are 5 millions girls out of school? Let’s keep the advocating for by #WalkWithAfghanWomen Contact us at info@womenleaders.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/afghanistan-taliban-women-school-1.6219358?__vfz=medium%3Dsharebar&fbclid=IwAR3m4QavoSHzpgybqYUeVH1a1Qa7utwgkZ_gOeTgRrzSFK82eZuQHXKZtWE

How to show solidarity with Afghan Women

The supporters and the allies of the Afghan women have recently asked Women Leaders of Tomorrow that how that they can help. Here is a perfect way to advocate and raise awareness about Afghan women’s rights and rights to education and sports.

This is a 45 minutes of walk that you can organize it on your pace, time and community. But please don’t forget to take pictures of your walk, post on social media, and tag us WLOT with the following hashtags. #WLOT #WalkWithAfghanWomen #StandWithAfghanistan #GOAL #GirlsofAfghanistanLead

Shamsea Alizada’s Message On International Day of the Girl Child

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 11th, 2021

Women Leaders of Tomorrow (WLOT), a non profit organization based in Vancouver, Canada working in the field of education and human rights for women in Afghanistan, announces a new online learning initiative for women and girls in recognition of International Day of the Girl Child.1

On the occasion of this day, the youth spokesperson for WLOT, Shamsea Alizada, 2 wishes to share a message with the international community regarding the importance of education for women and girls in Afghanistan. 

Since the Taliban takeover of the central government and capture of the entire country of Afghanistan approximately two months ago, the Taliban has banned girls over grade 6 from higher education, banned women from their high school, colleges, universities and their jobs, and imposed drastic, draconian restrictions on basic human rights.

Shamsea Alizada3, Afghanistan’s nationwide top scoring high school graduate and exceptional scholar in 2020 is pleased to announce WLOT’s intention to expand its existing online English language tutoring classes into more formal academic subjects.

“Since the return of the Taliban, thousands of talented, motivated young women in Afghanistan have become trapped in their homes”, said Friba Rezayee, founder and executive director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow. “We currently have dozens of students working with us via Internet-based video conferencing systems to improve their English language skills. As an expansion of our existing program, we are expanding into partnership with United States and Canada based higher educational institutes to introduce entirely Internet based formal academic classes and programs for these women in Afghanistan”. 

“Afghan women may be trapped in their homes, but until the Taliban turns off the Internet entirely, we will continue our work.” added Ms. Alizada4. She continued: “I am in communication with so many of my peers and classmates whose lives have been put on pause”.

Shamsea was the first woman in Afghanistan to receive a perfect score on the annual university entrance examination, just one year before the collapse of the central government. The “Kankor” exam5 is approximately equivalent to the North American SAT test. Shamsea is presently studying on a fully-funded scholarship in Istanbul, Turkey, generously provided by the Turkish government. 6 

1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_the_Girl_Child

2https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/25/world/asia/afghanistan-woman-university.html

3https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2020/09/25/916908463/coal-miners-daughter-is-a-heartwarming-hero-in-afghanistan

4https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/after-surviving-blast-at-study-centre-afghan-girl-tops-national-varsity-exam/articleshow/78342616.cms

5 https://www.voanews.com/a/south-central-asia_young-afghan-woman-aces-university-entrance-exams/6196401.html

6 https://www.news18.com/news/buzz/two-years-after-escaping-blast-at-her-tuition-centre-afghan-girl-tops-national-exam-2908453.html

Press contacts: Friba Rezayee friba.rezayee@womenleaders.ca Executive Director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow. Phone: 1-604-783-3317

Global News’s Documentary The New Reality Speaks about WLOT

These are the voices of women the Taliban doesn’t want the world to hear “My life has become just to eat, sleep and repeat,” says 20-year-old Aisha. She adds “My heart feels heavy because I can’t explain it to you, I can’t imagine how we’re going to live like this, with this government.”The founder and Executive Director of Women Leaders of Tomorrow, Friba Rezayee has been featured at the #TheNewReality at the #GlobalNews documentary by By #BrennanLeffler and #MikeArmstrong

Women Leaders of Tomorrow welcomes a new leader, Nigara Shaheen

As the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games continue in Japan, WLOT celebrates Afghan woman’s participation.

Nigara Shaheen, has been selected to be part of the International Olympic Committee’s refugee team. She was born and raised in Afghanistan and is a graduate of American University of Afghanistan. She earned her Master’s degree in Russia graduating with honors in Summer of 2021, just before departing to the training camp in Qatar to prepare of the Olympic Games.

The IJF, International Judo Federation, has created an initiative, to allow stateless athletes to compete world championships , Grand Slam, events and other major tournaments, as well as the Olympic Games. It is being called “Refugee with a Judo Mission”.

The team behind the initiative includes Keiko Mitsumoto of Tokai University in Japan and Friba Rezayee, the founder and executive director of WLOT. In 2018, herself a former Olympian in judo, began searching for other judokas who were living as refugees.

Her participation in the Olympics for Afghanistan — a first — inspired many other girls to participate in the sport in her homeland. Herself later came to Canada as a refugee so the project has special meaning to her.

After she contacted the Afghan Judo coach, Farhad Hazrati, Nigara Shaheen was introduced to WLOT, and WLOT requested Dr. Lisa Allen, the Commissionaire of Gender Equality at IJF, to accept her application; which she soon did.

Nigara Shaheen combined her studies with her judo training in Russia and with the support of the WLOT and the IJF and IOC, she made it to Tokyo for the games.

Nigara Shaheen during her online mentorship sessions with Eva/credit Eva

WLOT also provides mentorship programs for Afghan athletes. Eva Minarikova, from England is mentoring and supporting Nigara, ensuring she is in the best shape possible for the Olympic Games via online training sessions.. Eva describes the partnership as a success fulfilling Nigara’s goal of participating in the games.