Who We Are

Charmaghz was founded in 2018 to instil the joy of reading in Afghan children through Mobile Libraries. Based in Kabul and a registered NGO, Charmaghz grew from the dreams of a group of Afghan youth whose childhoods were scarred by war, and who wanted to secure a peaceful future for the next generation. We believe that a necessary, first step toward that future is ensuring all children can read, write, and do basic maths—though currently only 7% of primary school age children in Afghanistan are proficient in these skills. In Farsi, “Charmaghz” means “four brains,” which reflects our mission to expand and fulfil the potential of Afghan children through literacy. Charmaghz was founded and is led by Freshta Karim, an internationally recognised advocate for education and children’s rights.

Our vision is of a future Afghanistan where children are empowered as key agents of change both within their immediate lives, and within a long-term dialogue to generate justice, equity, and dignity for all Afghans.

Our mission is to provide a holistic, trauma-centred literacy and numeracy program to every child in Afghanistan that creates opportunities for learners to experience a sense of agency in their daily lives.