For many people across Afghanistan, obtaining an education can be very difficult. Feda ’27 struggled for the chance to go to school and endured great hardship and tragedy in the pursuit of learning. Now he works to help other Afghan young people, especially women and girls whose freedoms have been restricted by the Taliban, find the same opportunities that made such a difference in his life.
Feda was born to a farming family in rural Afghanistan. Growing up in a small village, the opportunities for school were very limited. The village had a small public school with few resources. In search of more educational opportunities, Feda moved to the capital city of Kabul. There he studied English, math and science and began considering going abroad to attend college.
“I came from a very small, traditional family, and thinking about going abroad to study was not something very common in our village,” he said. It would still be several years, though, before he made his way to the U.S. and to Berea College.
With a special eye on his new goal of studying overseas, Feda devoted himself to his studies. Then tragedy struck. In October 2020, as Feda was preparing for a national university entrance exam, the educational center where he was studying was attacked by terrorists.
“It was the first time for me, but it was not that unusual for other people,” Feda said.
The suicide bomber targeted the center and Feda’s class. Feda was not seriously harmed, but he was one of the lucky ones. “We lost a lot of friends, a lot of classmates,” he said. “More than 60 people died. Two of my best friends died in front of my eyes. That changed my perspective a lot—who I was and who I am.”
This experience only made him more determined to get his education. “There’s this fire inside you,” Feda said, “especially when you see your friends dying and you lost a lot of other people. That experience never dies inside.”
After two months back home in his village recovering, Feda returned to Kabul not only to continue his own education but also to assist others with their schooling.
I attracted a lot of students to help them get free education, especially those whose families couldn’t afford public classes.
Feda ’27
Feda started an organization called the Mawoud Educational Development Center. After six months of hard work, Feda published a series of six academic English books. “I attracted a lot of students to help them get free education, especially those whose families couldn’t afford public classes.” Feda’s organization offered free education to as many students as possible until 2021 when the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan. Under the new regime, the center had to close.
The next year, Feda left Afghanistan and moved to Pakistan. There, he began searching for colleges and universities in the U.S. to study. He applied to Berea College and became a student in 2023—the first member of his family to attend college. Even half a world away from home, Feda still felt a burning need to help other Afghan students. He decided to start a new organization that would help students back in Afghanistan follow in his footsteps and study abroad.
Feda started the Afghan Scholars Academy to continue his activities in Afghanistan. Through the Afghan Scholars Academy, Feda and his colleagues help Afghan students, especially women and girls, to study overseas.
“We are teaching English, we are preparing students for international exams and we are helping them with their college applications,” Feda said.
His work in founding the Afghan Scholars Academy has earned Feda the Diana Award. Named for the late Princess Diana, it recognizes young people who are doing extraordinary things to make the world a better place. “When I got the news that I’d be receiving the Diana Award, it was unbelievable. This is the most prestigious award a young person can get for their social actions,” Feda said. “It was a testament to not only my effort and personal work, but also to the people who helped me do the stuff that I’m doing.”
Feda’s time as a student at Berea has helped him expand the ways in which he’s able to help those back home. “Before coming to Berea, my scope of services was narrow,” he said. “It was not as big as it is right now. I didn’t know a lot of people that I know right now as a result of my being at Berea College. I’ve met a lot of people who have been helping me with a lot of stuff.”
After he graduates, Feda plans to continue and expand his work. “I’ve been very interested in understanding the intersection between poverty and education,” he said. “It all comes down to economics. After college, I plan to go to grad school and study development economics and finally earn a Ph.D. in economics.”
When he thinks about why he works so tirelessly in support of the mission that he’s taken on, Feda thinks of his sisters. “I have four sisters, three of which are not allowed to go to school. They were in high school when the Taliban took over Afghanistan and closed the doors of schools,” he said. “Every time I talk to them, I feel their pain as if it’s my own. This pushed me to help as many Afghan girls get an education as I possibly can.”
Because of Feda and the Afghan Scholars Academy, more than 3,000 Afghan students have been given an opportunity to pursue higher education. Feda’s award-winning philanthropic work is a testament that one person can make an incredible difference in the world.
THE DIANA AWARD
2024 RECIPIENT | FEDA ’27
After a tragic attack on his school that claimed more than 50 lives, including two friends, Feda channeled his grief into meaningful action. Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, while supporting his family, he founded the Afghan Scholars Academy, offering free guidance for Afghan students pursuing international college admissions and helping more than 3,000 students, the majority of whom are girls banned from schools, and 115 secured scholarships abroad. Feda also raised funds to support underprivileged families, providing financial aid for 300 children. Despite immense challenges, Feda remains hopeful, focusing on rebuilding opportunities and communities through equal access to education.
