From her small office in Donnarumma Hall, one Fairfield University professor takes her teachings far beyond the walls of a classroom. Professor of Creative Writing Sonya Huber, P.hD, offers free college classes to female students in Afghanistan through a program called Afghan Female Student Outreach, or AFSO for short.
After the Taliban retook power in Afghanistan in 2021, professor emerita at Trinity College Lucy Ferriss co-founded AFSO which aims to educate and empower the women and future leaders of Afghanistan. Offering a variety of class subjects, AFSO has garnered the support and teachings of hundreds of professors worldwide.
Dr. Huber teaches a version of her creative nonfiction writing class that she has adapted to be fully online and accessible for Afghan students in their time zone—almost ten hours ahead of the East Coast. Not only this, but she has also connected her Fairfield University students to this initiative.
“I had my creative nonfiction students read and respond to the AFSO student’s writing,” she explained. “It was amazing.”
Dr. Huber shared how many of her students were not aware of Afghanistan’s history or the current state of their country. As a result, reading the AFSO students’ work has been eye-opening for both her and her students.
“Reading someone else’s story is super intimate and powerful,” added Huber. “It’s been life-changing to be able to connect so directly with students in this super difficult position on the other side of the world.”
This initiative holds deep personal significance for Maryam Gharmal, a Fairfield University junior. Growing up in Afghanistan, Gharmal was inspired by her father, who served as the Afghan Women’s Network director and advocated for women’s rights for sixteen years. At just fourteen years old, Gharmal advocated alongside her father to inform women of their rights. After the fall of Kabul in 2021, her family was evacuated to the United States, but their fight was not over. Inspired by her father’s work, Gharmal felt “passionate to make a change.”
Once coming to Fairfield University, Gharamal sought clubs that aimed to help Afghan women. She was then introduced to Lucy Ferriss and the AFSO program and was able to help Dr. Huber as a teacher assistant with logistics and translations.
While the online class meets only once a week through Zoom, Gharmal explained that she contacted the Afghan students daily to answer their questions and provide assistance.
“[The students] say that this is the only hope for them,” Gharmal shared. “Because they can’t go to work, they can’t go to parks and other places alone … it makes them hopeful for a brighter future because they are getting college credits from prestigious universities and good professors.”
Inspired by this work, Gharmal started a club this past semester called Pathway to Afghan Girls Education and Advocacy (PAGEA), which raises funds and awareness for the struggles that Afghan girls are facing. Through their fundraising, they hope to sponsor ten Afghan girls’ education.
Lucy Ferriss will be at the Dolan School of Business Event Hall on Feb. 18 to deliver a presentation entitled “Education is Her Weapon: AFSO’s Mission in Afghanistan.” Gharmal says that this presentation will be a great way for students to learn more about what is happening in Afghanistan and about AFSO’s mission. Ferriss will later be joined by Gharmal on the stage. She also mentioned that her club, PAGEA, will have a table at the event to raise funds and provide more information.
The presentation “will be a very inspiring story about what average people plus technology can do to help each other,” Dr. Huber said.
“The beauty of this work lies in the global community of volunteers coming together to help these young women access education,” Gharmal added.
“I’m the only Afghan at Fairfield University,” she said, “and the work that everyone is doing together makes me really happy because my advocacy in Afghanistan … it wasn’t really supported or encouraged. It’s just really beautiful to see all of this work.”
Those who are interested in learning more about AFSO’s mission are encouraged to attend Lucy Ferriss’s presentation in the Dolan School of Business Event Hall on Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
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