Sheba Ahmadzai has helped Afghan people both in Afghanistan and at her school, Centreville High School, by establishing and leading Wings of Afghan Hope and the Afghan Student Association at Centreville High School. These initiatives have delivered aid, such as food, books, clothing, literacy programs, medical supplies, and tutoring assistance. Sheba also has fostered hope and a sense of empowerment, and she has built bonds of empathy and understanding across cultures and religions.

Sheba established Wings of Afghan Hope to address pressing humanitarian needs in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal. She has coordinated with more than 50 volunteers to deliver food packages, winter clothing articles, items for education, and hygiene kits to more than 15,000 people across Afghanistan. The estimated value of these supplies is $40,000. Sheba has worked with a network of ten different groups of volunteers inside Afghanistan to ascertain needs, deliver supplies, and assess the impact of the assistance. Sheba and the volunteers of Wings of Afghan Hope have been able to monitor the results of many of their efforts, including emergency repairs to a home that had been damaged by heavy rains.

Girls have been a special focus of Wings of Afghan Hope. Recognizing that education is a pathway to freedom and empowerment, Sheba designed literacy and English  education programs that have enrolled more than 300 girls who have benefited from more than one thousand hours of instruction.  Some of these classes occur over the internet, and when online access is not possible, Afghan volunteers coordinate informal study groups.  These volunteers must frequently adjust modes of instruction due to Taliban restrictions on girls’ education. Sheba organized volunteer teachers and spaces for study and learning, and she personally mentored some of the students. Students who have graduated from these programs have not only learned literacy skills, but also gained confidence and a sense of agency.

After creating Wings of Afghan Hope, Sheba established a tutoring program for Afghan students at her school. The Afghan Student Association at Centreville High School helps students from Afghanistan who may be struggling because of language barriers or loneliness. This project began recently, but it is already providing tutoring assistance to six students, One of these students was in despair because of her academic struggles, but has been able to improve her grades due to the help that she has received.

Sheba says that she “cannot stand by” as established international channels of humanitarian assistance have ended and walls have been built to discourage compassion. She understands that the absence of conflict sometimes masks violent oppression, and she seeks to build peace by responding to urgent needs and encouraging understanding across communities. Sheba says, “Every time I see a girl gain confidence, a family receive essential aid, or a student feel valued, I am reminded that even small actions can turn into profound change.”