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News of Nora, Fatima, and Strength in STEM, October 2024

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Nora, Fatima, and their family continue to live with uncertainty in Pakistan. The commitment to Strength in STEM (SiSTEM) also continues, while the peril inherent in the life of refugees has forced Nora and Fatima to focus in multiple additional directions.  In April, Nora and Fatima announced a pause in SiSTEM classes, knowing their students were needed to help with Ramadan and preparation for Eid. At the time, they and their family were also growing increasingly concerned they would be forced to return to Afghanistan. As the oldest sibling, Nora felt responsible to help earn money for the family whatever their circumstance. In countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, the only way she felt she could safely do so was by selling artwork. Fatima is already a talented artist and assumed the role of art teacher for the family. Between Fatima’s instruction and a course led by an accomplished artist in Islamabad, Nora has shown tremendous talent and has begun raising small sums for her famil
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News from Nora

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Nora, Fatima, and the students of Strength in STEM (SiSTEM) are on break. When it became clear that their students needed to help prepare for Eid, school was paused. But not before Nora assigned homework. Here's Nora's most recent update, sent a few days ago:   "I'm infinitely grateful to everyone who has financially supported us through GoFundMe. I truly appreciate each and every one of them, and I sincerely strive not to disappoint our donors and to transform SiSTEM into one of the largest online schools in Afghanistan in the near future. As you're aware, we're in the final days of Ramadan, and during this period, the girls in Afghanistan are deeply engrossed in preparing for Eid. Consequently, I decided to close SiSTEM until the fifteenth so they could focus on Eid preparations without any distractions. However, I've mandated that all students use this time to read at least one book and present a summary of it after the holidays. Starting on April 15th,
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SiSTEM Now Including Instruction in Women's Health and Cybersecurity

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Nora and Fatima have begun building their network of STEM instructors, now helping not only Afghan girls but also housewives seeking accurate health guidance. Instruction in cybersecurity is also starting soon. Here's Nora's most recent update: From our school, Strength in STEM (SiSTEM), I'm pleased to report that classes are going smoothly. This past week, we commemorated International Mother Language Education Day, prompting discussions among students about the crucial role of mother tongues in education and shedding light on the challenges faced in Afghanistan. During these discussions, students expressed concern over the situation in Afghanistan, particularly under Taliban control. They lamented the cessation of teaching in local languages, notably Uzbek, one of Afghanistan's indigenous languages. Furthermore, they highlighted the restrictions placed on Persian language usage in many areas and the efforts to impose Pashto language on other ethnic groups within Afgha
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60 Students, 4 Countries, 2 Girls Spreading Hope

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Nora and Fatima now teach 60 Afghan girls and young adults living in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and India. Their younger brother is creating the Strength in STEM website and has discovered a new passion for I.T. as a result. Fatima teaches her two youngest siblings art while the others are learning core skills online. The tiny apartment in which their family must spend all their time is abuzz with teaching and learning.  Here's a recent update from Nora: I had an exceptionally rewarding week with SiSTEM. Each day brings new opportunities for both learning and teaching. Reflecting last night, I realized the journey I undertook from escaping the Taliban, overcoming numerous challenges, traveling city by city from Afghanistan to Iran, and then to Pakistan. Enduring a perilous and challenging life, I transformed our small room into a school in Pakistan, where I educated my siblings amidst countless obstacles. Today, I proudly manage an online school, dedicating myself to educating g
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The Time Is Now - Please Donate and Share

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A start-up always comes with risk. Does it address a worthy problem? Can resources be secured, customer channels established, costs managed? Is there a path to sustainable success? For Strength in STEM (SiSTEM), the answers are yes. The SiSTEM pilot has launched . Nora and Fatima are providing 12 hours each week of ESL instruction to young Afghan females in Afghanistan and Iran, allowing these two young leaders to build systems, create curriculum, and develop new skills. They have access to a network of global professionals and STEM leaders. Costs are clear and manageable.  And yet, Nora and Fatima face the most monumental of risks. They and their family are living as refugees in Pakistan. They were forced to flee Afghanistan because their family’s dedication to human rights made them a target. They faced starvation until Nora initiated what became the family’s Canadian support system. Like many others, they are unjustly unwelcome in Pakistan. The visas which allowed them to be there a
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The Work of Building a Better Future

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Nora and Fatima are busy building  Strength in STEM . Determination is their fuel. Here's the latest update from Nora: The "Strength in STEM" school is rapidly gaining more students, with classes held four days a week. Each day, I dedicate hours to preparing for classes, continuously striving to improve. In running the school, Fatima has been a tremendous help. We practice together before each class, and Fatima has taken on administrative responsibilities, recording student information and assisting in the collection of study materials. Despite never working with Excel before, Fatima is learning to handle administrative tasks efficiently. Our younger brother has been experimenting with creating a website daily. Although he lacked prior experience, he is eager to learn more through Google and YouTube. Last night, he managed to create a relatively improved website. He feels a sense of responsibility and aims to produce something valuable since he was entrusted with this tas
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Strength in STEM is launched!

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Nora and Fatima decided that English instruction needed to be part of SiSTEM. It's also a topic they can teach right away, allowing them to launch, learn, and grow. Here's Nora's update: "I've set up a Facebook page and created a WhatsApp chat group. Fortunately, I commenced my first pilot phase classes on January 7th, 2024. I'm conducting three English classes daily, and thus far, 20 female students have enrolled across Beginner, Intermediate, and advanced levels. Nineteen are in Afghanistan, and one is in Iran.  Presently, I conduct three classes per day, each lasting an hour. My teaching schedule spans four days a week, amounting to a total of 12 hours weekly. It's a remarkable start. While these initial classes are on a trial basis for two months, I've assured the students that we have grander plans ahead to support them further." Donate today . Whether $10, $100, or more, all donations make a difference. Help launch Strength in STEM (SiSTEM):
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