On May 8th, there was a devastating attack on the Sayed Al-Shuhada school in the Dasht-e-Barchi neighborhood in Kabul. The car bomb and subsequent explosives were planned to inflict maximum damage and casualties, and unfortunately, they did just that. It has been reported that there are 85 fatalities and approximately 150 injuries from the attack, with most victims being young girls aged 11-20.
Khaled shared the following after the attack:
The explosives shattered a community and added to the already daunting and collective trauma the region has experienced. Families are grieving and the schoolgirls are traumatized however, while we can never take the burden of their grief, we can do something to ease their suffering. Now more than ever we must support these brave girls.
Afghan women have an astonishing amount of strength. They truly are the heart and soul of the country. The girls of the Sayed Al-Shuhada school showed an incredible amount of courage in attending class in a country that has been painfully slow in supporting the education of girls and women. Even after this cowardly attack and the murder of their fellow classmates, they show a strength many adults cannot fathom. CBS News reported that Zeinab, 13, was injured by shrapnel in the attack, but remains undaunted in her convictions. "I think they just don't want us to study", she said. Zeinab told CBS News Correspondent, Charlie D'Argata, that she is determined to return to school telling him, "If I get scared, they will hit us again. Then I won't be able to study".
For Zeinab and the countless other girls impacted by this tragedy, we are raising funds to provide for the continuing education of the attack survivors as well as to support healthcare in the region.
Many of the victims were brought to EMERGENCY's Kabul Surgical Centre for War Victims. EMERGENCY has been operating this facility since 2001, where free surgery for war victims is provided. Marco Puntin, EMERGENCY Programme Coordinator in Afghanistan, reported that in just the first three months of 2021, the facility has seen a 21% increase in surgical patients.
We are raising funds to aid survivors, like Zeinab, of the school attack in pursuing their education through the educational fund established by Women for Afghan Women as well as healthcare services provided by EMERGENCY.
JOIN US in contributing to the education and healthcare that is so direly needed. TKHF will match every dollar contributed up to the first $25,000.
Zeinab and her fellow classmates need our support and we will not sit idly by while they take these courageous steps to better their futures. We will not be discouraged or defeated by this heinous attack. How can we, when girls like Zeinab are the ones taking the true risks in the hope of a better life?
