The Bush Institute is committed to the advancement of women around the world. We are proud to highlight and amplify stories of women from the past and present who are tirelessly working for better opportunities and hope across their communities and beyond.
Educating Afghan girls despite Taliban rule
Pashtana Durrani is an Afghan feminist, activist, and educator. She founded Afghanistan’s first-ever digital school network, LEARN Afghanistan, and is still providing education for hundreds of girls in the country today despite being exiled after the Taliban’s takeover in 2021.
The women who built democracy, before it included them
American women from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and the Civil Rights Movement eras have been cornerstones of our democracy – modeling civic engagement, community leadership, principled advocacy, and service, often before they had full rights as citizens. From Abigail Adams to Ida B. Wells to Dolores Huerta, women stepped up to meet the nation’s needs and strengthen the Republic, even when the law denied them a formal voice.
Discover the women who helped build this country
Go Further’s lifesaving impact
The Bush Institute’s Go Further partnership with the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and UNAIDS has screened more than 10 million women for cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2023, Hannah Johnson, deputy director of global policy, traveled to Namibia and heard about the partnership’s positive impact firsthand from Lisondry Haoses, a nurse who is working to help Namibian women get screened and treated for this life-threatening disease.
Discover the real-world impact of a program helping women fight cervical cancer
Meet the Bush Institute’s Veteran Wellness Alliance: Wounded Warrior Project’s Dani Larson
The Bush Institute’s Veteran Wellness Alliance is a coalition of veteran peer-to-peer networks and best-in-class mental and brain health care providers who connect veterans, service members, their families, caretakers, and survivors to high-quality care for their invisible wounds.
Hear from Wounded Warrior Project’s Dani Larson, triage operations specialist
Education accountability and innovation: Dr. Katie Jenner on Indiana’s success
The state’s record gains in reading and college credit achievement showcase how community collaboration and bold policies are driving significant improvements in student outcomes.
Listen to the recipe for Indiana’s success
Fighting back against human trafficking in Texas
Bianca Davis, 2023 Presidential Leadership Scholar and CEO of Dallas-based nonprofit New Friends New Life, shares how the PLS Program shaped and inspired her work to combat human trafficking in Texas.
