Read Our Story

Afghan Scout Relief Fund launched in the Fall of 2021when Steve Gates answered a desperate call from Afghan Scout leaders in the wake of the Taliban's take-over after US troop withdrawal. Their need was urgent – the Taliban were hunting them down to destroy them, their families and anyone involved with Afghan Scouting.  With the help of some very influential and caring people, a rescue mission was formed. Teams were assembled in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the U.S. and life-saving conduits were set up to move Scouts (men and women) and their families. In our first months, Afghan Scout Relief Fund was able to rescue and move 5 Afghan Scout families (29 people). An “underground railroad” was established to move individuals in danger out of harm’s way. 

This was only the beginning…

By the winter of 2022 the ASRF teams were receiving cries for help from young Afghan women who had been studying and working hard to build meaningful lives and careers. They were suddenly banned from school altogether. In the new Taliban-ruled society women and girls were no longer free to go to school or work, to study, or even to laugh.  We saw that any woman who wanted to continue her studies safely needed to leave Afghanistan. Our teams decided to grow the original Scout mission to include extracting girls who could be accepted to schools in the U.S. We learned that there was a network of Afghan girls studying under the radar throughout Afghanistan. ASRF was introduced to a secret girl’s school in Kabul, where 200 young motivated and creative girls were studying under the radar. We were quickly able to find places in schools in the U.S. and host families for 25 of them before things shut down in the U.S.

Volunteers helped them with their English, their applications to school and for student visas. Since our beginning, hundreds of supporters, donors and volunteers, along with silent partners, have joined us and stepped up to make this vision a successful program.