Shakila Ali: Success Story from The Hatchery
Meet Shakila Ali, a recent MPH graduate from Rollins School of Public Health, and a student founder in The Hatchery Incubator.
Shakila is the founder of Doste Afghan Foundation, a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that provides humanitarian assistance at the individual level to underserved women, widows, youth, and people with disabilities in Afghanistan. For the past two years, Shakila has planned and hosted a grassroots level fundraiser for marginalized communities in Afghanistan. This formed the basis for Doste Afghan Foundation.
Born in Afghanistan herself, Shakila is familiar with the problem she is solving and is a strong advocate for the communities that the fundraiser focuses on. “In Afghanistan, both historically and currently, there are certain identities that are far more at risk than others. Women and widows are struggling. People with disabilities are neglected. And if you are of the minority community known as the Hazara, then you are directly targeted. These communities deserve equal rights, yet instead they are at risk of not surviving the humanitarian crisis and situation at all,” Shakila explained.
“Now more than ever, these families in Afghanistan need allies, support, response, and assistance. My hope is to continue hosting the fundraiser and providing long term resources of support for the families as well.”
Her hopes are becoming a reality through The Hatchery Incubator. She is building an organization from those original grassroots to house this and other efforts to support widows and children, people with disabilities, and the minority communities in Afghanistan.