Giving Compass' Take:

• The Iranian Americans’ Contributions Project interviews Zohre Elahian, Managing Director of the Global Catalyst Foundation in Silicon Valley, about her humanitarian work with refugees around the world, expanding educational opportunities for those who need them the most.

• What can we do to empower more women leaders of color like Elahian? And what can other philanthropists dedicated to refugee populations learn from her example?

• Read all about the project that helps refugees become high school grads.

Zohre Elahian is Managing Director of the Global Catalyst Foundation in Silicon Valley and has been actively involved in international development for close to two decades. She is co-founder of Schools Online, a not-for-profit organization that has brought computers to schools and introduced ICT in education in many countries around the world and within the US.

As the Managing Director of Global Catalyst Foundation, Ms. Elahian has also evaluated many projects, addressing critical needs in education and technology, ICT and microfinance; her Foundation has provided funding to such projects in many countries. She has also served on the Board of Directors of Relief International for over 8 years, working on different developmental and humanitarian projects in countries such as Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Jordan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and many others. Prior to her humanitarian activities, she co-managed a successful private business for 15 years. She is currently on the board of Partners for Sustainable Development, a local NGO in Palestine, Goorulearning (Educational platform), Polyup (Computational Thinking edugame company) and Iranian American Women Foundation. In 2009 Zohre received the Unsung Heroes of Compassion award and special blessing from His Holiness, The Dalai Lama.

I think, intuitively, the background of my family and many people around me impacted my humanitarian work including my strong belief of the importance of education as an equalizer.

Read the full interview with Zohre Elahian about education philanthropy by Jahandad Memarian at medium.com.