EMPOWERING Education
In 2022 , a year after the fall of Kabul , the capital of Afghanistan , to the Taliban and the subsequent ban of girls ’ education in the country , Crofton House welcomed two Afghan students to the Senior School through our partnership with Women ’ s Leadership of Tomorrow ( WLOT ). This June , Tahira and Marwa graduated and they will attend university in Vancouver this fall - a testament to their resilience and love of learning . As we continue to develop our partnership with WLOT and prepare to welcome two additional Afghan students for the 2024-2025 school year , we reflect on Tahira and Marwa ’ s time at CHS and on the many lessons we have learned from this opportunity , both as a school and as a community . We are very grateful to the many members of our community who have supported these students ’ journey .
THE AFGHAN PROGRAM AT CHS
At Crofton House School , we believe in the transformative power of girl-centred education and community . For over a century , we have dedicated ourselves to making a meaningful impact in the lives of girls and women locally and internationally .
Sadly , across the globe , in 2024 many girls are still denied the right to education because of circumstances beyond their control . Since September 2021 , girls in Afghanistan have been prevented from attending school due to Taliban-imposed rights-violating policies . The damaging impact this ban is having on young girls is well documented by media and official agencies .
With the support of the Board and thanks to the generosity of our community , Crofton House was able to play its part in changing the educational course for two students from Afghanistan . In the fall of 2022 , we welcomed Tahira and Marwa , to complete their high school education .
This initiative was developed in partnership with Women Leaders of Tomorrow ( WLOT ), a non-profit organization supporting women and girls in Afghanistan led by Friba Rezayee , the first Afghan female Olympic athlete .
During the time that Tahira and Marwa have been at CHS , our partnership with WLOT has continued to grow , The CHS Afghan Program now also includes an Ivy day for Grade 10 students , which focuses on the rights of women and girls in Afghanistan , and support for local Afghan refugees through stroller and other drives , and involvement with the YWCA ’ s employment and training program , Afghan Women ’ s Employment ( AWE ). In addition , CHS staff have worked closely with WLOT in the development of their curriculum and provision of a platform for online learning .
Tahira and Marwa graduated in June and will attend university in Vancouver this fall . As they embark on this exciting new chapter , they reflect on their time as Senior School students at CHS .
CONNECTING WITH COMMUNITY
Marwa ’ s journey at Crofton House has been defined by her unwavering resilience , adaptability and quest for knowledge .
“ I always wanted to continue my education . Even when I was in Afghanistan before the war , I had already started planning where I wanted to go to university and what I wanted to study ,” she explained . “ Even after the war , when I was at home , I was still hoping to continue my education . When I heard about this opportunity I just jumped right into it . I couldn ’ t say no .”
Marwa ’ s transition to a new education system presented challenges . “ It ’ s all a trade-off . You need to trade so many things in your life — I had to trade off my family , and my country , to come here and do high school .”
Although initially apprehensive , Marwa found herself embraced by a supportive community at Crofton House . Her counsellors and teachers
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