Suraya Sadeed
Founder and Executive Director
Help the Afghan Children
Our Founder and Executive Director, Suraya Sadeed, has been a champion for Afghan children, a leading authority on the education and welfare of women and children in Afghanistan, and a pioneer in bringing innovative educational programs to Afghanistan.
She was born and raised in Kabul, Afghanistan and immigrated to the United States after the invasion of Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and became a successful business woman.
During the height of the Afghan Civil War (1993), Suraya returned to Afghanistan and was shocked by the horrific conditions of children and the destruction of her homeland. That same year, she established Help the Afghan Children, Inc.
Since then, Suraya's courageous efforts in providing humanitarian aid, medical care, education, and hope against seemingly insurmountable odds have directly benefited over 1.5 million Afghan children and their families. Operating in some of the most inhospitable conditions imaginable, confronting the Taliban and drug lords, delivering aid to thousands of families during bombing attacks in the middle of a war, Suraya's work and heroism earned her respect and admiration from common Afghans, and human rights leaders from around the globe.
After the overthrow of the Taliban in late 2001, Suraya was selected as an Educational Commission Advisor for the Transitional Government of Afghanistan and Delegate (one of ten nationally recognized women for service) to the Grand Assembly of Afghanistan in 2002.
Recognizing that education was the key to Afghanistan's future, Suraya has been a leader in introducing many innovative educational models and programs into the country. In 2002, Suraya established one of the Afghanistan's first model schools. She was the first to bring computers and computer education programs into the public school system, and her introduction of peace & environmental education into the educational curriculum has been lauded by the Ministry of Education and the United Nations.
Suraya's work has been recognized and honored at the highest levels of government in both Afghanistan and the United States. She has appeared on such programs as the Oprah Winfrey Show and NBC's Weekend Today Show - where she was recognized in their 'Courageous Hearts' series. Her story has been written about in Readers Digest and the Los Angeles Times Magazine as well as a film documentary ''Inshallah, Diary of an Afghan Woman", produced for the Oxygen Channel. In March of 2006, Suraya's work was recognized by President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush at the White House for making a difference in Afghanistan.
Suraya Sadeed
HERO OF THE MONTH
Zeba Magazine
---By Nawa Arsala, May 2008
After decades of war, death and destruction, it is clear Afghanistan is facing a major humanitarian crisis. More than 10 million Afghan children are suffering and lacking the basic needs we so carelessly use on a daily basis. The average Afghan household's monthly income is a mere $6. Very few in Afghanistan are privileged enough to have blankets or warm clothing to protect them from the below freezing temperatures. Hundreds die annually from literally freezing to death. Education is virtually nonexistent throughout our nation. In 1993, Suraya Sadeed returned to her homeland after over a decade, to find it shattered. She then established her organization, Help the Afghan Children. From providing blankets in Nangarhar to establishing health clinics in Logar to establishing schools in Kanadhar, Sadeed has left her vestige of outstanding work across Afghanistanistan. Zeba had the exclusive opportunity to interview Sadeed on her and her exceptional organization.
Establishing model schools since 2002 in Kabul, Kapisa, Samangan, and Kandahar provinces. Currently, thousands of students are enrolled in our schools. Our services include building and furnishing schools, providing 15 computers for each schools, implementing our innovative programs such as Computer, Peace, and Environmental education, training teachers, and introducing new ideas like "read Afghanistan" by establishing libraries in schools and providing story books to promote reading among students.
Providing on-going emergency relief efforts to Afghanistan's most vulnerable families, in under-served areas since 1993. HTAC donates primarily medicine and medical supplies, blankets, tents, clothing, and school supplies as well as emergency food supplies. To date, we have helped tens of thousands of families across the country and the refugee camps.
What is your favorite part of HTAC?
Since 1993, I've made over 45 trips back to Afghanistan and some of those trips have been under highly challenging and extremely stressful conditions. But the one thing that has sustained me all these years; the one thing that makes this effort worthwhile is seeing the faces of Afghan children who we've helped. It's the children that keep me going.
How many schools have been opened by HTAC?
In the early days, including under the rule of the Taliban, we started 17 small home-based schools for girls which were, of course, forbidden at the time. Since the overthrow of the Taliban regime, we have built 11 schools in 4 provinces that serve an average of 15,000 students per year.
What is HTAC's ultimate goal?
It really goes back to our mission to help Afghan children become educated, healthy, and productive citizens who are able to fully contribute to building Afghanistan's civil society.