Our Culture is Giving supports local care efforts in locations throughout Afghanistan. The following summaries explain how, why and where Afghan women and children are desperately in need of help from good people within and beyond their nation’s borders.


Hearing directly from the women and children who are served by Our Culture is Giving and several partnering organizations and individuals is key to the world understanding the dangerous and unfair plight of the innocent people caught in the crosshairs of geopolitics and extremist ideologies. We share the following first-person narratives as testimony and documentation.

Survivor Statements

MAHWOOSH, Statement

I am Mahwoosh WITHHELDWife of WITHHELD My husband worked as a driver and security guard at NATO and US government projects for more than 15 years. My husband was born in Panjshir...

MAHWOOSH, Statement

I am Mahwoosh WITHHELDWife of WITHHELD My husband worked as a driver and security guard at NATO and US government projects for more than 15 years. My husband was born in Panjshir...

AZITA, Survivor Statement

Azita, age: 13 years oldGender: FemalePlace of birth: Takhar provinceEthnicity: TajikRape: 25th July 2023 - 5th Aug 2023Date of death: 10th Aug 2023 I am WITHHELD, mother of Azita. Azita was my...

AZITA, Survivor Statement

Azita, age: 13 years oldGender: FemalePlace of birth: Takhar provinceEthnicity: TajikRape: 25th July 2023 - 5th Aug 2023Date of death: 10th Aug 2023 I am WITHHELD, mother of Azita. Azita was my...

FATIMA, Survivor Statement

I am Fatima, age 16 years, from Kapisa. On August 2, 2022 I left home to get water because we don’t have clean water at home. I would get water...

FATIMA, Survivor Statement

I am Fatima, age 16 years, from Kapisa. On August 2, 2022 I left home to get water because we don’t have clean water at home. I would get water...

KARIMA AND HALIMA, Survivors Statements

Name: Karima WITHHELD and Halima WITHHELDAge: 17 years old, twinsGender: FemalePlace of birth: KabulEthnicity: TajikDate of Rape: August 15, 2023 I am Sharifa, the mother of Karima and Halima.  My...

KARIMA AND HALIMA, Survivors Statements

Name: Karima WITHHELD and Halima WITHHELDAge: 17 years old, twinsGender: FemalePlace of birth: KabulEthnicity: TajikDate of Rape: August 15, 2023 I am Sharifa, the mother of Karima and Halima.  My...

MARZIA, Survivor Statement

Name: MarziaDate of Birth: WITHHELDDate of Rape: 26/Nov/2023Children: 4 girls Husband information:Full Name: Abdul WITHHELDDate of birth: WITHHELDJob: Security Guard in Bagram Airport (US gov employee)Ethnicity: TajikDate of death:26-Nov-2023 PERPETRATOR OF MURDER...

MARZIA, Survivor Statement

Name: MarziaDate of Birth: WITHHELDDate of Rape: 26/Nov/2023Children: 4 girls Husband information:Full Name: Abdul WITHHELDDate of birth: WITHHELDJob: Security Guard in Bagram Airport (US gov employee)Ethnicity: TajikDate of death:26-Nov-2023 PERPETRATOR OF MURDER...

Survivor Statements - ABOUT

As best possible, with each woman or child we provide care for, we try to document what happened to them. With survivors of sexual assault, we respect their healing process...

Survivor Statements - ABOUT

As best possible, with each woman or child we provide care for, we try to document what happened to them. With survivors of sexual assault, we respect their healing process...