About Hope Without Borders
The Hope Without Borders nonprofit brings together volunteers, professionals, and community members who believe that compassion, dignity, and practical support should reach people wherever they are needed. We support individuals and families affected by persecution, conflict, displacement, censorship, discrimination, and humanitarian crises through volunteer-led programs designed to strengthen lives, restore connection, and build long-term resilience.
Our work is rooted in a simple belief: every person deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and humanity.
Board of Directors
Mr. Nasser Choobin
Mr. Nasser Choobin is a successful businessman, filmmaker, photographer, and human rights advocate, he has dedicated much of his life to helping others. His humanitarian work has helped legally admitted refugees rebuild their lives in the United States, empowering many to become self-reliant and, in turn, support others in their communities.
Mrs. Batool Zamani
Mrs. Batool Zamani is a biologist, Iranian-American human rights advocate, and community leader with more than three decades of experience in community outreach and organizing. She has been a dedicated voice for ethnic and religious minorities, with a particular focus on the rights of women in Iran. Through her articles, commentary, and media interviews, she has helped bring
greater attention to the plight of Iranian women, political prisoners, and others seeking freedom, equality, and fundamental human rights.
Mr. Majid Karbasi
Mr. Majid Karbasi is an Iranian human rights advocate and former political prisoner who spent nearly six years in prison during the 1980s. He has dedicated much of his life to supporting political prisoners and their families and serving as a voice of hope for those facing persecution and hardship.
Professionals for Humanity
Professional Expertise in Volunteer Service to Hope Without Borders Network
Dr. Alborz Bahador
Member of American Psychological Association(APA)
Member of California Psychological Association(CPA)
Dr. Alborz Bahador is a founding member of “Holistic Cure and Care Center, HCCC” where he provides integrative and holistic care to adolescents, adults, couples, families and groups.
Sheila Neinavaie
Teacher
Sheila Neinavaie is an Iranian human rights activist based in California, a former political prisoner, and a survivor of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. Arrested at just fifteen, she spent nearly eight years in Iranian prisons—an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to human rights and dignity.
Sheila Neinavaie
Sheila Neinavaie is an Iranian human rights activist based in California, a former political prisoner, and a survivor of the 1988 massacre of political prisoners in Iran. Arrested at just fifteen, she spent nearly eight years in Iranian prisons—an experience that shaped her lifelong commitment to human rights and dignity.
Sheila has dedicated herself to advocating for women’s rights, prisoners of conscience, and those facing persecution in Iran. Drawing on her own experience, she provides support and guidance to families of political prisoners, members of ethnic and religious minority communities, and persecuted Iranians and refugees in the United States and abroad. Her work reflects Hope Without Borders’ commitment to standing with vulnerable individuals and families as they confront persecution, displacement, and the challenges of rebuilding their lives.
Fred Shariet
Community leader and organizer
Fred Shariet is a former prisoner of conscience and a dedicated humanitarian advocate whose own experience of persecution has shaped his commitment to helping others. He has devoted years to supporting individuals and families affected by persecution, displacement, and loss, with particular care for children, the elderly, and others in vulnerable circumstances.
Fred Shariet
Fred Shariet is a former prisoner of conscience and a dedicated humanitarian advocate whose own experience of persecution has shaped his commitment to helping others. He has devoted years to supporting individuals and families affected by persecution, displacement, and loss, with particular care for children, the elderly, and others in vulnerable circumstances.
Drawing on his personal journey, Fred understands the importance of standing beside people when they are forced to leave behind their homes, communities, and familiar lives. Through compassion, practical support, and advocacy, he works to help families regain stability, dignity, and hope for the future.
His commitment reflects the mission of Hope Without Borders: ensuring that people facing persecution and displacement are not forgotten and have the support they need to rebuild their lives.
Dr. Niloufar Ahmad
She is a practicing OB/GYN
Dr. Niloufar Ahmad was born in Iran and left as an infant with her parents, arriving in the United States around age 7. She is a practicing OB/GYN in Indiana, having earned her medical degree from the University of Louisville and completed residency at Indiana University. She is active in the Iranian diaspora community and has long engaged with human rights and civic issues affecting Iranians.
Dr. Niloufar Ahmad
Dr. Niloufar Ahmad was born in Iran and left as an infant with her parents, arriving in the United States around age 7. She is a practicing OB/GYN in Indiana, having earned her medical degree from the University of Louisville and completed residency at Indiana University. She is active in the Iranian diaspora community and has long engaged with human rights and civic issues affecting Iranians.
"Hope Without Borders gives voice and dignity to Iranians who have paid the highest price for freedom."
Dr. Azadeh Zanganeh
DO, MPH, is an Internal Medicine physician and public health professional.
She earned her MPH in Epidemiology and Disease Control from UTHealth School of Public Health, Texas (2011), and medical degree from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Washington (2016). Her longstanding commitment to human rights, health equity, and advocacy for the people of Iran reflects her belief in the fundamental right of every person to health, dignity, and freedom.
Dr. Azadeh Zanganeh
Azadeh Zangeneh, DO, MPH, is an Internal Medicine physician and public health professional. She earned her MPH in Epidemiology and Disease Control from UTHealth School of Public Health, Texas (2011), and medical degree from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, Washington (2016). Her longstanding commitment to human rights, health equity, and advocacy for the people of Iran reflects her belief in the fundamental right of every person to health, dignity, and freedom.
"Hope Without Borders reflects my belief that true advocacy must go beyond words. It means standing beside the people of Iran who have paid an unimaginable price for freedom, protecting their dignity, and turning solidarity into meaningful action for those denied the most fundamental rights: to live, to be free, and to exist without fear of persecution."
Mrs. Mandana Roushanmeidan
healthcare practitioner, successful businesswoman, women’s rights activist, and community organizer.
A nurse by training, Mrs. Roushanmeidan is a board-certified behavior analyst with over a decade of experience treating vulnerable children and adults with behavioral and psychological challenges. As the founder and clinical director at NewWave Behavioral Consultation....
Our Volunteers, Our Strength
Hope is Our Mission.
Service is Our Commitment
Hope Without Borders is a volunteer-driven humanitarian initiative dedicated to restoring hope, strengthening communities, and supporting individuals and families affected by persecution, conflict, displacement, censorship, and humanitarian crises. Hope Without Borders is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization, with tax-deductible status filed, and is powered entirely by volunteers.
Founded on the belief that compassion knows no borders, we work to connect people with the resources, support, and opportunities they need to rebuild their lives with dignity and hope.
Our programs focus on humanitarian assistance, family support, community-based care, secure access to communication and information, medical assistance, mental health and trauma recovery, and educational and outreach initiatives that empower individuals and strengthen communities.
Who We Serve
Hope Without Borders supports individuals and families whose lives have been disrupted by persecution, political imprisonment, conflict, displacement, discrimination, censorship, trauma, and humanitarian emergencies.
We recognize that a crisis rarely affects only one person. Families may face financial hardship, emotional trauma, separation, loss of access to healthcare, isolation, or difficulty rebuilding their lives. Our goal is to help connect people with practical assistance, community support, reliable information, care, and opportunities that strengthen hope and stability.
We serve without discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, gender, nationality, or political beliefs, and we remain committed to treating every individual with compassion and respect.
How We Help
Our humanitarian support programs address different needs while working toward the same goal: helping people and communities rebuild with dignity, connection, and hope.
Families of Hope
Families of Hope provides compassionate support for families affected by persecution, imprisonment, displacement, and crisis. Assistance may include family support, educational help, referrals, emergency assistance, and connections to community resources.
Medical Lifeline
Medical Lifeline supports access to medical assistance, healthcare resources, equipment, rehabilitation support, and other forms of humanitarian medical care for individuals and families facing extraordinary circumstances.
A Volunteer-Powered Organization
Powered by Compassion
Hope Without Borders is powered by the generosity, compassion, and unwavering commitment of hundreds of Iranian Americans and their American friends who volunteer their time and talents across the United States.
Maximizing Humanitarian Impact
This volunteer-led model allows us to maximize the impact of every contribution by directing resources toward programs and services that benefit those we serve.
100% Volunteer-Based Principle
One of the defining principles of Hope Without Borders is that no individual receives financial compensation for serving the organization.
Driven by Purpose, Not Profit
Our Board of Directors, officers, advisors, committee members, and volunteers all serve without compensation. Their commitment is motivated solely by a desire to help others and advance our humanitarian mission.
Diverse Expertise & Shared Values
Our volunteers contribute their time, professional expertise, and resources because they believe in serving others and making a meaningful difference in people's lives. They come from diverse professional backgrounds—including healthcare, education, engineering, technology, communications, law, business, and community service—and are united by a shared commitment to humanitarian values.
Accountability and Transparency
Trust is essential to humanitarian work. Hope Without Borders is committed to responsible stewardship, transparency, accountability, and clear communication with the people who support our mission. Our volunteer-driven model is designed to keep service at the center of our organization. As Hope Without Borders grows, we remain committed to sharing meaningful information about our programs, organizational development, financial stewardship, and humanitarian impact with our community.
Be Part of the Mission
Hope grows when people choose to act with compassion. Explore our humanitarian programs to learn more about the people and communities we serve, discover ways to take action, or contact Hope Without Borders to learn how you can support our mission. Together, volunteers, families, supporters, and communities can help restore dignity, strengthen resilience, and prove that compassion truly has no borders.
We serve people without discrimination based on religion, ethnicity, gender, nationality, or political beliefs.
Our priority is to support the families of political prisoners and individuals who have been persecuted, imprisoned, marginalized, displaced, or excluded from society because of their political beliefs, religion, gender, ethnicity, or advocacy for human rights. We are committed to helping those whose lives have been disrupted by repression and discrimination, while providing hope, practical assistance, and opportunities to rebuild their futures.
Every donation, every volunteer hour, and every act of kindness helps restore hope, strengthen families, save lives, and build a future where compassion reaches beyond borders.
Together, we are proving that when people unite in service of others, hope has no borders.
Legal & Tax Status
Hope Without Borders (HWB) is a nonprofit organization incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia. HWB has applied to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for recognition as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. HWB’s application is currently pending IRS determination.
Until IRS recognition is granted, HWB does not represent that contributions are tax-deductible under Section 501(c)(3). Donors should consult their tax advisor regarding the deductibility of contributions.