Sahar Speaks: Journalism by Afghan women
Organized by: Amie Ferris-Rotman
Sahar Speaks was established in 2015 in response to the appalling lack of Afghan female reporters working for the international press in Kabul. The situation for Afghan women in the current environment — as the country adjusts to the withdrawal of foreign troops — is critical: it is vital we hear their voices going forward, and that they are properly supported.
British-American journalist Amie Ferris-Rotman developed the program as a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow atStanford University. In March 2016, the inaugural round of Sahar Speaks saw 12 journalists receive training in Kabul. They were recently paired with mentors — experienced female journalists from around the globe. Throughout spring 2016, their stories will be featured inThe Huffington Post, the world’s largest English-language news site. This will give them the global attention they deserve.
We now need to raise money to expand; we don’t want this to be a one-off. We are planning a second round of Sahar Speaks, paid internships at Kabul-based foreign bureaus, more published stories and a private networking community. Thank you so much for your donations and support!
$25 transports one Sahar Speaks participant to training for a week
$50 pays for a safe space in Kabul to train female journalists for a day
$100 pays for an Afghan female journalist/photographer to work for a day for a major news outlet
$500 goes towards a much-needed stipend for a Sahar Speaks participant