ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2025
United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. This year, 60,000+ young leaders applied to join the Class of 2025 on 7,000+ campuses across 170 nations. 290+ campuses worldwide (less than 5%) were selected to host the 4,500+ Millennium Fellows.
UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT FARAHNAZ YOUSUFZAI, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2025.
Asian University for Women | Chattogram, Bangladesh | Advancing SDG 5, SDG 5, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 9 & UNAI 3
" Leadership, creativity, knowledge and experience are essential for real-world jobs. Membership in the Millennium Fellowship will enhances these skills in me. I am eager to use the skills I gain from the this fellowship to make a positive change in my society, especially in my country, Afghanistan, which is in a state of crisis. I am eager to ensure to use the new ways of learning and creativity to make a difference. "
Millennium Fellowship Project: Women’s Empowerment in Tech
Before joining the Millennium Fellowship, I was always dreaming of empowering women in technology. In Afghanistan, many people believed that women cannot handle STEM jobs. They thought technology and STEM related jobs are only for men. I never agreed with that. I believe that women are creative and passionate, and these are the most important skills which are required in tech and STEM related fields.
When the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, my dreams became a clear goal. I wanted Afghan women to see their capacity for learning and working in technology. As the Taliban closed the universities for Afghan women in Afghanistan, I searched for scholarships and I received a fully funded scholarship to study at the Asian University for Women (AUW). It was a great opportunity for me. I decided to help other Afghan girls apply for the same scholarship. I helped hundreds of students through the process so that they could also get this opportunity and continue their education here in Bangladesh.
When I became a Millennium Fellow, I started thinking deeply about my purpose. The fellowship made me realize that I could work on my dream and can turn my passion into a real project. I saw that many students at AUW were interested in technology but there was not a space for them to learn together.
I aimed to create an environment where students passionate about Computer Science could develop and thrive. I, along with several other skilled students, presented the proposal for the AUW Computer Science Club to the university during this fellowship, resulting in the establishment of a CS club at AUW. The club has straightforward yet impactful missions such as: unite students to discover and understand technology, impart valuable skills through projects and workshops, promote collaboration through solving real-life challenges, assist students in connecting with mentors and shaping their career paths, and present new subjects like Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and Software Development
Our efforts contribute to Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality), which seeks to enhance women's empowerment via technology. It additionally promotes SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure). Our goal is to equip not only these women but also the next generation to navigate the digital realm and support them in building confidence in their abilities.
About the Millennium Fellow
I, Farahnaz Yousufzai am the social activist, journalist, women's rights defender, lecturer of rhetoric, and student from Afghanistan in Asian University for Women located in Bangladesh. I was born in Laghman, Afghanistan, raised in Kabul in a civilized family. I completed my primary education in a public school in Afghanistan, and after passing the entrance exam, I entered the Faculty of Computer Science, Department of Information Technology, Kabul University.
But unfortunately, after the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, the right to education was taken away from women, and I was one of the girls who were deprived of education. However, I did not give up and got full scholarship for Undergraduate program in Asian University for Women. Now, here in I'm studying computer science and wish to bring a impactful change in my community.
