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About Us
Mission
The Mission of AAWA is to facilitate community services integration support and cultural programs for vulnerable families.
Vision
Our vision is to build permanent structures for the community and vulnerable families, as we help them resettle, integrate, and become productive members of society.
Our Story
Founded in 2009 by Afghan refugees in Northern Virginia, the Afghan-American Women’s Association (A-AWA) has remained steadfast for the past 14 years as a women-led, volunteer organization dedicated to providing high-quality, culturally sensitive services.
A-AWA’s aim is clear: to facilitate community services, integration support, and cultural programs specifically tailored to Afghan women and vulnerable families. We aspire to establish lasting support structures within the Afghan community, aiding successful resettlement, integration, and the transition to productive citizenship between 2001-2002. A-AWA effectively assisted hundreds of newly arrived Afghan families, showcasing our dedication to our vision.
A-AWA is committed to serving as the linchpin connecting the Afghan-American community to the mainstream through its Life and Cope educational program, offering a professional platform to network, and smoothly integrate while preserving their dignity and rich culture. Since its inception, A-AWA has remained a volunteer based organization focused on ensuring services are offered in a highly positive and non-discriminatory spirit, with the utmost professionalism, fairness, and highly ethical and culturally sensitive manner. A-AWA continues to gain the community’s trust and steadily works towards its mission with strong principles and norms.
Board of Directors
Shahla Azizi
Founder & President
Dr. Homaira Behsudi-Wali
Founder & Vice President
Nillab Pazhwak
Co-founder & Executive Director
Heela Sahely
Secretary & Board Member
Dr. Nahid Nasrat
Board Member
Dr. Syed Amiry
Board Member
Najia Arsalayee
Treasurer
Palwasha Hassan
Board Member
Previous Board Members
Nooria Faryar
Homaira Fahimi
Sima Wali
Dr. Hosai Hesham
Hawa Nawaz
Malal Nezam
Organizational Chart
- Nabila Sarwar (Refugee Resettlement and event coordination)
- Rohina Baseer Panah (Refugee Resettlement and Coat Drive)
- Mariam Rusta (Refugee Resettlement and Support Groups)
- Arsalan Lutfi (TriVision: Web site Production & Maintenance)
- Alaha Ahrar (Services to Refugee Families)
- Nasreen Nawabi (Life & Cope, Outreach and Coordination)
- Masooda Baluch (Coat Drive, Management and Coordination)
Affiliates
Make a Difference
Volunteering in your community gives you a chance to give back. You’ll feel a sense of pride that you are volunteering your time and will in return cultivate a more dynamic, integrative community helping Afghan families become productive members of their community.
You can help make a difference! Make a donation to A-AWA today. Your donation can provide valuable resources to Life and Cope Program and A-AWA’s Emergency Response Fund set for most vulnerable Afghan families.
Join us! With the trusted support of our members, we can continue to create a culture where our community would flourish and cultivate resources and connections for new refugee families.