Her Story
About Fatima
Fatima Sabri serves as Development Coordinator at Population Action International, where she works in the development team to raise funds and support advocacy for women's reproductive rights and empowerment. Based in Virginia and working in Washington, D.C., she previously held the role of program manager for the Asia program at Vital Voices. In that position, she coordinated the evacuation of approximately 1,200 Afghan women leaders and their families to safety in Albania following the fall of Afghanistan in 2021, later supporting their resettlement in Canada, the United States, and Europe. She also managed shelters in Pakistan and Afghanistan for women unable to leave the country. Fatima earned her bachelor's degree in Asian Studies with a minor in development studies from Asian University for Women in Bangladesh after five years of study there on scholarship. She later completed a master's degree in sustainable development at the School for International Training in Vermont in 2018. Her earlier experiences include an eight-month internship with Women for Women International, a needs assessment project with Women for Afghan Women, founding the Speak Up Club during university, and organizing a sexual harassment awareness campaign in an Afghan workplace. She attributes her path to an open-minded and supportive family and emphasizes values of respect, flexibility, and creating space for others to speak up in her work.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Fatima
01What do you attribute your success to?
My journey has been grounded in the strength of a deeply supportive, educated, and open-minded family. My father believed deeply in my potential and made it possible for me to pursue a quality education abroad, while my mother and siblings, through their own journeys, wisdom, and strength, have shaped the person I am today. My husband continues to be an unwavering source of support, believing in my dreams and standing beside me every step of the way.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was from a teacher during my master's who said to always massage the details, go deep into something rather than looking at it from the surface, and plan according to that in-depth understanding.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Women should know their rights from a very young age and not consider themselves lower than men. They should have access to quality education and be financially independent so they are not dependent on family members or trapped in abusive relationships. I am against forced marriage and child marriage, and believe women need to choose what's good for themselves and have the ability to earn their own money.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge right now is resources and funding. Without resources, organizations cannot continue urgent assistance work like evacuations or support for women facing violence. Losing platforms and funding, as happened when the Trump administration cut funding, means we cannot do the work we used to do.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Respect, the ability to speak up, creating space for others to speak their mind, and flexibility are most important. Flexibility allows me to support women at any level or opportunity I receive, and nothing is too small.
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