The seventh annual Aurora Award was presented to Jamila Afghani, educator, human rights activist and founder of the Noor Educational and Capacity Development Organization, or NECDO. Jamila has dedicated more than 25 years of her life to giving women in Afghanistan access to education. Her work was recognized during a series of high-level philanthropic events that the Aurora Humanitarian Initiative held Oct. 14-16 in Venice, Italy.

Through August 2021, NECDO has managed to reach more than 100,000 women with literacy programs through the creation of small, community-led centers in many communities. The organization has also provided legal assistance and psychosocial support to more than 10,000 women who have been abused by a family member or partner. Forced to flee Afghanistan, Jamilya continues to help others from a distance.

After the Taliban seized power in her country, Jamila Afghanistan had to leave her homeland, but she has not given up on helping her people. NEDCO continues to support Afghanistan's women and vulnerable families by shedding light on lack of access to education, domestic violence and other contemporary problems women face. At the same time, the organization provides financial assistance to human rights activists, journalists and activists.

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative created the annual Aurora Award on behalf of all survivors of the Armenian Genocide and in gratitude to their saviors. The Aurora Award recipient receives a $1 million award and a unique opportunity to continue the baton of kindness by supporting organizations that help people. As the 2022 Aurora Award recipient, Jamila Afghanistan has chosen to support the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) and the Noor Education Capacity Building and Development Organization (NECDO). WILPF is an international women's association that seeks to promote world peace by advocating for disarmament, the elimination of violence, women's rights and gender equality, and NECDO is a non-governmental organization that provides humanitarian and social development assistance to women, youth and children in Afghanistan.

Since its founding, the Aurora Prize has transformed the lives of more than 1,000,000 people affected by war, conflict, persecution and other humanitarian problems, with a special focus on helping children, refugees, women and girls. This kind of effective philanthropy, aimed at tangible results, is made possible by the Prize's associates, whose contributions enable it to continue empowering today's heroes.