Zarqa Yaftali Receives NationSwell’s Inaugural Possible Futures Award for Advocacy

This year winners

Zarqa Yaftali, a women’s rights and girls’ education advocate from Afghanistan, has been named the recipient of the Advocate Award at NationSwell’s inaugural Possible Futures Awards, recognizing her longstanding commitment to advancing the rights, dignity, and education of women and children.

The award honors individuals who bring public attention to pressing social challenges, encourage collective action, and advance meaningful solutions through advocacy. Yaftali is among 12 honorees across 10 categories, including innovation, advocacy, community mobilization, leadership, and sustainable change.

According to NationSwell, the selection process was informed by consultations with distinguished leaders, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai; author and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt; and Cheryl Dorsey, president and CEO of Echoing Green.

Originally from Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province and currently residing in Canada, Yaftali has devoted years to defending the rights of women and children, expanding educational opportunities, and amplifying the voices of women and girls in Afghanistan.

This recognition follows two other achievements in 2026: her receipt of the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity and a Silver Dolphin at the Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards in France for the documentary Education of Hope in Afghanistan: The Story of Zarqa, which highlights her work.

NationSwell founder and CEO Greg Behrman emphasized the importance of collaboration in advancing social progress, highlighting the contributions of advocates and organizations in developing solutions to complex societal challenges.

Founded in 2013, NationSwell is a United States–based social impact organization that promotes collaboration among businesses, philanthropic institutions, and civil society. It reports working with more than 200 companies, foundations, and nonprofit organizations.

The award recipients are scheduled to be honored at NationSwell’s annual summit on October 27, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.