Angha Childress is the Executive Director of Barakat Inc. She was born in India and had a Masters in English and Masters of Philosophy in English from Indore University and a Masters in Public Administration with emphasis in Nonprofit Management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. 

I have been involved with nonprofit sector since age 17, when I ran my own agency focused on helping women open their own small businesses. I have also worked in Sub-Saharan African countries and Asian countries on issues of education, health, human rights for children and women, as well as NGO capacity building. I came to US in 1997 and have continued working in both domestic and international nonprofit sector. 

My expertise is in providing leadership and strategic direction for nonprofit organizations including management & administration, fundraising, board governance, programs monitoring and evaluation, marketing and communications. I have managed comprehensive fundraising programs and have secured more than $30 million in gifts and grants. I have also re-branded three nonprofits, including Barakat. 

Barakat’s mission of providing education to children, especially girls, and women in South and Central Asia is very close to my heart and am passionate about this mission. Also, an opportunity to be back in South and Central Asia and to empower girls and women through education, while growing the agency is very gratifying. 

In Afghanistan, the literacy rate for females is 18%, in rural areas, this drops down to 11%. Barakat provides literacy programs and education (through its schools) in countries where poverty and cultural practices hinder educational attainment for all children, but especially for girls and women. Barakat believes that education is a fundamental human right and it is through education that peace is possible. 

Although Ameda was not able to attend regular school while growing up she has had the opportunity to attend and graduate from Barakat’s Swad Amousi program and has been enrolled in Barakat’s higher-level literacy program for five years now. Though her community has mixed feelings about her endeavors towards education, her friends and family fully support her to continue her schooling. At the age of 20, Ameda is not yet married and aspires to be an educated woman in the future. She hopes to become a nurse in order to serve her people and society. She is also interested to learn topics such as mathematics, Dari, and Islam. She believes that her country needs more literate women and that education is an absolute right for women. She sees education as an important tool in rebuilding her country. 

It takes only $120 to send a girl to one year of middle school. People can donate toward our programmatic and operational costs at: http://www.barakatworld.org/donate/donate.html   

We would love for more people to attend our awareness and fundraising events. We need experienced volunteers who could help us on our fundraising committee and those who are interested in joining the board.  

We expect to start chapters in select cities by January 2015. Our supporters come from all walks of life – from elementary school students to college professors, from people in cities all across US. We have a wonderful support from all ethnicities and nationalities and we are very grateful! 

E3 (Engage.Educate.Empower) on Wednesday, April 1, 2015, Barakat’s 8th Annual Walk for Literacy Saturday, September 26, 2015. Please sign up for our newsletter at www.Barakatworld.org – we are planning more exciting events for 2015 and would love to share those with you!