Aziza Akrami is an Afghan social entrepreneur and humanitarian leader empowering women, children, and refugees through healthcare, education, justice, and equal opportunity

She is a proud Ambassador for McKinsey’s 2025 Forward Program, and the Co-Founder and Program Director of Empowered Circle, an initiative launched in 2021 that has provided healthcare and health education to more than 8,000 women and children in underserved communities across Afghanistan.

With over six years of experience in humanitarian advocacy, fundraising, and program management, Aziza has led and supported numerous projects and campaigns in Afghanistan, Europe, and the United States. She has worked with multiple organizations that include: The Collective Aid Charitable Foundation, Blossom Hill Foundation, Right to Learn Afghanistan, ASEEL, and Norwegian Church Aid. Through these collaborations, Aziza has helped raise over USD 500,000 to deliver life-saving healthcare, educational opportunities, and climate emergency support to thousands of vulnerable individuals and crisis affected communities. Aziza holds an MBA from Porto Business School, specializing in Sustainability and Innovation (2024), and a Bachelor’s degree in Management

Information Systems from Kabul University (2021). She was awarded first place at the South Asian Students Meet as part of the World Bank research competition. Her paper “Women Between Conflict and Climate Crisis,” was later published by Monash University in Australia.

Aziza believes that every Afghan individual, regardless of background, gender, or ethnicity, deserves to live with dignity, equality, and hope. She is passionate about using her voice and lived experience to advocate for youth inclusion, human rights, and the rights of displaced people groups.