Virtual exchange links Regis students with young women in Afghanistan through nonprofit partnership promoting education and empowerment
Regis College students are helping to build bridges across cultures and continents through a virtual exchange program connecting young women in Afghanistan with college students in the United States. Led at Regis by Professor Emerita Sara Weintraub, the initiative is supported by the nonprofit Rawan Organization, which was founded to help Afghan women and girls learn English, share their stories, and pursue educational and professional opportunities.
“This program reflects what Regis stands for, global learning, compassion, and the belief that education is a bridge to understanding,” said Weintraub. “Our students are not just connecting across borders, they’re changing lives, including their own.”
Through email and video conversations, Regis students and their Afghan partners meet weekly to discuss language, culture, education, and life experiences. The program fosters mutual understanding, mentorship, and friendship while advancing the nonprofit’s mission to help the Afghan women to learn English, and to promote literacy and empowerment through education. Regis students describe the experience as transformative, both personally and academically.
Mary DeMerchant ’28, an exercise science major from Averill Park, New York, reflected on how the project shifted her perspective. “It has made me more appreciative of the opportunities I have when it comes to education. It has helped shift my mindset from ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to.’ Being able to receive an education, especially beyond high school, is something that a lot of women around the world don’t get to do.”
“I think showing compassion can help give these girls hope, letting them know they have girls their age in America rooting for them and helping them practice their English can encourage them to keep working and keep learning,” said Olivia Mathews ’28, a nursing major from Millis.
Jelicity Mercado ’28, a nursing major from Lowell, stated she “volunteered for the program the first day they told us about it” and that it has been “a life changing experience.” Mercado also shared that getting to know her partner has shown “that we’re not as different as the world might make it seem. The young women in Afghanistan remind me so much of the young women at Regis. All of us are curious, driven, and full of potential. Just being someone who listens to them and believes in them feels meaningful. Everyone deserves support, and especially these bright young women.”
“I am immensely grateful to be part of this program, and it has been a privilege getting to know [my partner],” said Emily Aho ’25, a nursing major from Pelham, N.H. “Every time we meet, she is eager to engage in conversation and practice her English as much as possible. It has also been a powerful reminder of how easy it is to take our own education for granted.” Emily also shared she has learned about Ramadan and Eid, where “I gained a much deeper understanding of Islamic culture.”
For more information, please visit rawanschool.org.