“As a child refugee from Afghanistan, I experienced firsthand how conflict and displacement can interrupt a child’s future. Those experiences taught me that education is more than a classroom—it is opportunity, dignity, and hope.

After rebuilding my life in Arlington, Virginia, I dedicated my career to advancing children’s rights, education, and gender equality through law, policy, and international advocacy. Yet I believed lasting change also begins within communities.

That belief led me to establish ECL Global USA, a Virginia-based nonprofit committed to expanding educational opportunity for underserved children and families across the Commonwealth while partnering globally to support communities facing systemic barriers.

Today, our mission is simple: ensure every child—regardless of where they are born—has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and build a brighter future.”