About MAH
MAH is a Berlin-based association dedicated to empowering and integrating Afghan refugee women in Germany, as well as supporting women in Afghanistan. The recent withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan has triggered a severe humanitarian crisis, with women and children in Afghanistan being the hardest hit.
MAH offers integration, social and economic empowerment and entertainment to Afghan refugee women in Germany.
Our programs include swimming, dance and yoga classes, language courses (German and English), self-defense and self-empowerment seminars.
In the past, we have organized cultural events and fundraising campaigns, the proceeds of which went directly to NGOs in Afghanistan, where they are used to improve the living conditions of women.
Afghan culture is conservative and patriarchal; women are not expected to go out, work, or have any autonomy.
Mahdiah Hashemi
When Afghan women arrive in Germany as refugees, they often find it very difficult to integrate into their new environment. The trauma of war and forced displacement forces the refugees to focus on short-term survival rather than long-term development. This hinders their ability to develop and thrive in a welcoming and promising environment.
Mahdiah Hashemi is the founder and president of MAH. She established this organization to support women who have had similar experiences to hers, especially after coming to Germany. MAH seems to focus on supporting women who have found a new home in Germany and may be facing the challenges associated with it. It’s admirable that Mahdiah Hashemi is committed to supporting these women.
Refugees often live under great stress and find it difficult to work on themselves and develop new skills to improve themselves.
Mahdiah Hashemi firmly believes in the importance of community and personal development. She founded MAH as a safe and inclusive space for Afghan refugee women to work on their empowerment and help themselves and their families.
All of our volunteers and staff are women with similar cultural backgrounds. Therefore, many of the women we work with trust us and feel safe participating in our programs and events.
Mahdiah Hashemi
Afghan women often come from conservative societies and families, and distrust of large institutions or organizations is widespread.
At MAH, we are always attuned to these cultural nuances and work hard to ensure that our work is acceptable to our target audiences.
MAH is a Grassroots initiative
