From Kabul to Keble and Back | Selai Mangal
Selai in a traditional outfit worn by the women of Afghanistan. Photographed by Sebastian Boettcher for ‘The Pebbles Project’ in collaboration with Elizabeth Filippouli.
Selai Mangal (2022 EMBA) writes:
As a Keble College alumna and an Executive MBA graduate from Saïd Business School, I have dedicated my career to driving social and economic progress in Afghanistan. The lessons I learned at Oxford — innovation, strategic planning, and the power of communication (particularly when you are multi-lingual) — have profoundly shaped my journey.
My studies introduced me to frameworks that continue to guide my work, particularly in managing sensitive projects in Afghanistan’s complex landscape. Navigating the NGO sector, launching a business, and ensuring that both complement each other, have been challenges like no other. But I believe that with the right strategy, corporations and social enterprises can work together to create sustainable solutions that empower communities, especially women.
In 2010, I founded a small initiative, Celei, to support Afghan women in creating handicrafts that celebrated their heritage. This grew into the Adam Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that now supports women in handicrafts and agriculture while providing communities with education, health care, and access to clean water. Our ambition is to transform our hubs across Afghanistan’s 34 provinces into energy-efficient, self-sustaining centres powered by the country’s abundant renewable resources.
At the same time, my newest venture, a business, shares the same vision. I dream of a building that serves as a beacon of hope, where Afghans can learn and witness first-hand how a large-scale enterprise can be powered entirely by green energy. The transition towards sustainability isn’t just a global movement, it’s a necessity, even in the most challenging environments.
Adam Foundation is also embracing the future through EdTech, HealthTech, AgriTech, and more, ensuring that, while based at the crossroads of South and Central Asia, we remain aligned with global advancements. Our work proves that innovation and impact are possible anywhere, even in the most unexpected places, like Afghanistan, often referred to as the ‘Heart of Asia’.
The journey so far has been a rollercoaster, challenging, unpredictable, but deeply rewarding. Resilience, belief, and strategic thinking have helped overcome obstacles, and I know the road ahead will require even more. But the values instilled in me at Keble and Oxford, the ability to think beyond barriers and push forward, continue to guide me.
Being featured in the brick is an honour, and I hope to connect with fellow alumni who share a passion for driving meaningful change. Together, we can create a future where innovation, empowerment, and sustainability transcend borders.
