Sisterhood

the

Friendship

Est. 2020

of Culture & Language Learners

Empathy

Education

est. 

2020

 "...helping girls develop new friendships across geographical and cultural borders..."

 The Sisterhood (short for The Sisterhood of Culture and Language Learners) is a community of girls ages 15-19 from Afghanistan and Australia who are open to making new friends from a different country. Over a three-month period, girls will grow in their understanding of another culture, develop empathy for their sisters living in different circumstances, and help English language learners improve their language skills.  At the heart of the Sisterhood is helping girls develop friendships across geographical and cultural borders.

What is The Sisterhood?

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and lock downs around the globe, the Sisterhood was launched at our first group video call on 28 August 2020. This was the pilot season of the Sisterhood which ended December 2020.

June 2021 marked the launch of our 2nd season with double the sisters participating from Afghanistan and Australia. However, just weeks after the kickoff of the Sisterhood, Kabul fell. This drastically altered the original plans and intent of the Sisterhood. Despite these challenges, many Australian sisters stayed in touch with their Afghan sisters, providing emotional and practical support to them as they rebuilt their lives both within and outside of Afghanistan. Having walked together though one of the toughest events in modern history, many of the relationships endure until today. 

A Brief History of the Sisterhood

Originally from Kabul, Marzia and her family arrived in 2020 after a seven year wait for their visas to be granted. Since arriving, she has jumped into life in Australia, making new friends, sharpening her language skills and navigating the new education system. She hopes to study journalism in university and wants to explore photography. She will help oversee the sisters from Afghanistan,  translate when needed and share her experience as an Afghan living in Australia.

Beatrice is a first year student at the University of Melbourne studying veterinary medicine. She is one of the original sisters from the pilot Sisterhood Class of 2020. (See her testimony on the 'Founding Sisters' link.)  She has a passion for language and learning about other cultures and hopes to study oversees. Drawing from her own experience in the sisterhood, Beatrice will help to orient the next class of Australian sisters and provide ongoing support to them during the program.

The 2021 Mentor Sisters

Marzia

Beatrice

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Christine

Arzou

Janielle

The Founding Sisters

prestigious international school in Hyderabad. So she moved to India. Originally from Afghanistan, Arzou she speaks Persian and fluent English. Her western style education allowed her to relate to the Australian sisters easily while also translating for the Afghan sisters when needed. Since graduating high school, she  plans to attend university in Canada with hopes to study in the US after that. She was been instrumental in getting this Sisterhood off the ground. 

moved to Kabul as piano faculty at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, In addition, she mentors the team of the Afghan Youth Empower & Peace-building Organization (AYEPO).  She envisions music education as a way of peace-building and youth empowerment in current and post-conflict zones. She shared valuable insight about living in Afghanistan to our Australian sisters and helped find the first Afghan sisters for the 2020 Sisterhood. 

a podcast Teens in Quarantine which she hosted during the height of the worldwide lockdowns. In particular, the teens she met from Afghanistan inspired her for their bravery and resilience. The idea came to her to use platforms already in existence (Zoom, Google Meet) to connect Afghan girls wanting to practice English with Australian girls open to learning about life as a girl from a different culture.  With the help of two other friends - Arzou and Janielle,  the Sisterhood was born.  

During the 2020 pandemic, at a time when face-to-face interactions were not allowed,  Christine met people from all over the world for

Arzou and Christine met recording an episode for the Teens in Quarantine podcast. When she was only 13 she received a 

Janielle is an Australian pianist and music educator with a Master of Teaching in Music from Monash University. In 2018, she 

During the 2020 pandemic, Christine started a podcast called Teens in Quarantine which she hosted during the height of the worldwide lockdowns. She interviewed teens from all over the world but In particular, the teens she met from Afghanistan inspired her for their bravery and resilience. The idea came to her to use platforms already in existence (Zoom, etc.) to connect Afghan girls wanting to practice English with Australian girls open to learning about life as a girl from a different culture. With the help of two other friends - Arzou and Janielle, the Sisterhood was born.  

Arzou and Christine met recording an episode for the Teens in Quarantine podcast. When she was only 13 she received a scholarship to an  international school in Hyderabad and  moved to India on her own. Originally from Afghanistan, Arzou she speaks Persian and fluent English. Her western style education allowed her to relate to the Australian sisters easily while also translating for the Afghan sisters when needed. Since graduating high school, she plans to attend university in Canada with hopes to study in the US after that. She has been instrumental in getting this Sisterhood off the ground.

Janielle is an Australian pianist and music educator with a Master of Teaching in Music from Monash University. In 2018, she she moved to Kabul as piano faculty at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, In addition, she mentors the team of the Afghan Youth Empower & Peace-building Organization (AYEPO). She envisions music education as a way of peace-building and youth empowerment in current and post-conflict zones. She shared valuable insight about living in Afghanistan to our Australian sisters and helped find the first Afghan sisters for the 2020 Sisterhood. 

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