Using social media as a platform to grow and maintain personal networks is changing how Afghanistan’s youth find employment and advance their careers. A 2018 assessment conducted by The Asia Foundation found that almost 80% of Afghans who use the internet are on Facebook, which offers opportunities for youth, especially for women, to network with one another.

The USAID Promote Women’s Leadership Development (WLD) project is a leadership development program that focuses on building self-confidence through building management skills necessary for women to become leaders in Afghan society. The project maintains a Facebook group that provides over 9,500 program alumni access to education, employment, and scholarship opportunities across the country.

WLD graduate Hadisa Khadem uses the WLD Facebook group to post job vacancies and connect other university and college graduates with her professional network.

“Women’s education in Afghanistan must result in jobs and, ultimately, financial independence,” said Hadisa. “That is why I believe in establishing large social networks online to introduce Afghan professional men and women to recent graduates and help them to find jobs.”

Hadisa currently has a leadership position within the Afghan civil service. Her professional success demonstrates the effectiveness of the USAID project.

“Enhancing career opportunities through social media platforms such as Facebook gives female Afghan graduates more opportunities to become effective leaders,” said Hadisa.

USAID enables 1,000s of talented Afghan women to become future leaders in government, business and civil society. Jawana was designed as a pathway to enable the best and the brightest Afghan women to achieve their ambitions and assume prominent leadership roles in the social, political, and economic spheres of their country.