We are beyond grateful to KeyBank for their generous grant of $200,000. The funding will support refugee and immigrant farmers and business professionals in our Global Gardens and Global Talent programs.

For example, we'll now be able to expand our Global Gardens community garden and launch a business-focused English class for our Global Talent job seekers.

"We're so excited to have support from KeyBank to really address needs that we've seen over the years," said Hannah Roche, manager of Global Talent. "For example, we will be creating a business English class for Global Talent participants that will increase their ability to thrive in the workplace.”

"With this grant we will be developing the community garden, which is in Boise city limits and also in a low-income area," said Rabiou Manzo, who managed Global Gardens for the past three seasons. "That will provide fresh vegetables to people and produce less greenhouse gases. Farmers will learn techniques to increase yield and decrease food waste. We are hoping this will increase racial and financial equity for refugee farmers in Idaho."

Read the full press release here, and check out the feature in the Idaho Press' Town Talk. 

Najib Amani worked with the U.S. Armed Forces in Afghanistan for eight years in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While he was flying missions, his wife was serving a mission of her own. Najib’s wife is an educator with a special passion to educate Afghan girls and women.

After the fall of Afghanistan in the 2021, Najib followed orders to evacuate his plane out of the country. The cost of that order was leaving his wife and their two children behind. Najib’s wife kept teaching, in person and on Zoom. Teaching is her life’s mission.

Since 2021, the Taliban has restricted the rights of women and girls to attend school. In March of this year, the Taliban denied education for girls above 6th grade. In December of 2022, the Taliban extended that edict to women and girls attending public and private universities.

Najib brought the Boise community together on Dec. 22 on the steps of the Idaho State Capitol to stand for his wife, daughter, and all women of Afghanistan. He is joining with Afghan and human rights advocates internationally to demand, “Let the Afghan girls go to school!” 

Najib said he does not think it is fair that his son should be able to receive an education while his daughter should stay home, the Idaho Statesman reported, and he will continue to voice his support for women in his home nation, even from afar.