CHEERing’s newest project in Afghanistan honours Venus, a 39-year-old Afghan mother of three, who was drowned in 2021 when crossing the border from Bosnia to Croatia. Her death changed the way authorities handled border crossings with Croatia border patrols no longer pushing back families.

Venus was the close friend of CHEERing’s Associate Director, Farzana Hakimi. In Farzana’s words, “She was a very brave mother, and her goal was to take her family to a safe country.”

Funded by the Linda Norgrove Foundation, the Venus Project helps female-headed households who have no way to support their families with the Taliban’s ban on education and work outside the home for women. The Venus Project covers basic living costs which help families to eat and pay the rent. Currently we’re supporting eight female-headed families in Herat. We will feature them in future posts.

Venus (right) with CHEERing Associate Director Farzana Hakimi