Who we are
Farkhunda e.V.
Based in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, the Farkhunda Foundation is dedicated to empowering Afghan girls and women through education, cultural preservation, and humanitarian support. Since 2022, we have been providing vital learning opportunities to students across Afghanistan and beyond.
Our founder
Nargis Mommand Hassanzai
Founder & Executive Director
Nargis Mommand Hassanzai is a former university professor and accomplished author of four books, one of which was recognized as the Best Book of the Year in 2018. She is a distinguished legal and communications expert whose life's work centers on advancing human rights and empowering Afghan women and girls. She completed her higher education in Afghanistan and later earned a master's degree in International Organizations.
Nargis has held several high-level governmental management positions in Afghanistan, including leadership roles within the Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), Kabul Municipality, and the Ministry of Defense. Her extensive public service reflects her commitment to good governance, justice, and women's participation in decision-making.
After relocating to Europe, she began working with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, where she used her platform to amplify the voices of Afghan women and advocate for education, equality, and justice. Now based in Germany, Nargis serves the U.S. Department of State's CARE Program while leading the Farkhunda Foundation, a global initiative supporting Afghan women's education and leadership.
Her tireless dedication to peace and education has earned international recognition, including the World Peace Award (Sweden, 2023) and the Global Women Peace Ambassador Award (Cyprus, 2023). Through the Farkhunda Foundation, she continues to build pathways for Afghan women to learn, lead, and thrive—no matter where they are in the world.
A Vision for Women's Empowerment
Nargis Mommand Hassanzai is a passionate human rights advocate and the founder of the Farkhunda Foundation e.V., an organization devoted to empowering Afghan women and girls through education, professional training, and leadership development. Born and raised in Afghanistan, Nargis witnessed firsthand the impact of war, inequality, and fear on generations of women. When the Taliban returned to power in 2022, the fragile progress Afghan women had made over two decades was shattered overnight. Girls were banned from secondary schools and universities, women were removed from government positions, and thousands of female professionals—teachers, journalists, and aid workers—were forced to stay home. What had once been a growing movement of women's voices suddenly fell into silence.
Inside Afghanistan today, millions of women and girls live as prisoners within their own homes. Dreams of education, careers, and independence have been replaced by isolation and despair. Women who once walked proudly to classrooms now face threats, humiliation, and punishment for simply seeking knowledge. This systematic oppression has caused profound psychological trauma—feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and loss of identity have spread through a generation that once dared to believe in freedom. Mothers are raising daughters who may never see a classroom, and young women who were studying to become doctors or engineers now struggle with depression and fear. Nargis could not stand by and watch this devastation unfold.
Moved by the suffering of her people, she founded the Farkhunda Foundation in Germany to restore hope, opportunity, and dignity to Afghan women wherever they are. The Foundation provides educational programs that combine academic learning, digital literacy, and professional development with cultural preservation. Through online classrooms, teacher-training programs, and local community initiatives, it reaches women and girls who have been cut off from education under the Taliban regime. For many participants, these programs are more than lessons—they are lifelines that rebuild confidence and self-worth. Nargis believes that every educated woman is a voice of resistance and that knowledge is the most powerful weapon against oppression. Her work gives Afghan women the chance not only to learn but to rediscover the strength and pride that has long been denied to them.
Looking ahead, Nargis envisions the Farkhunda Foundation becoming a global movement for education and empowerment. Over the next five years, her goal is to educate and train thousands of Afghan women and girls inside Afghanistan, particularly in rural and marginalized regions where opportunities have been erased. The Foundation is expanding its hybrid education model—combining online tools, local educators, and safe learning spaces—to deliver lessons directly into homes and communities. Beyond academics, programs will include entrepreneurship, digital literacy, English instruction, and mental-health support to help women rebuild not only their skills but their emotional resilience. Nargis's dream is to see a generation of Afghan women rise again—educated, confident, and unafraid to stand tall. Each life transformed through education brings Afghanistan one step closer to justice, equality, and lasting peace.