Dare to educate Afghan girls - Shabana Basij-Rasikh

TL;DR

Despite the challenges and dangers, one girl's family fought for her education in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, leading to her graduation from college and her commitment to educate other girls.

Transcript

when I was 11 I remember waking up one morning to the sound of joy in my house my father was listening to BBC news on his small gray radio there was a big smile on his face which was unusual then because the news mostly depressed him the Taliban are gone my father shouted I didn't know what it meant but I could see that my father was very very happ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🥸 Education was illegal for girls in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, leading to secret schools and disguised identities to attend.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The girl's family placed a high value on education, defying societal norms and risks to provide her and her sister with educational opportunities.
• 👧 The support of fathers and male figures is crucial in enabling girls' education, alongside the advocacy of mothers.
• 🤞 Despite the challenges and fragility of progress, education offers hope and the potential for lasting change in Afghanistan.
• 👧 The girl's story exemplifies the power of education to transform lives and create opportunities for girls in war-torn regions.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The girl's success is attributed to the determination and sacrifices of her family, as well as her own courage and perseverance.
• 👧 The number of girls attending school in Afghanistan has significantly increased, but the future is uncertain after the withdrawal of US troops.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did the girl and her sister manage to attend school despite the Taliban's ban on girls' education?

The girl and her sister disguised themselves, with the girl dressing as a boy, to attend a secret school. They would take different routes each day and hide their books in grocery bags to avoid suspicion.

Q: What motivated the girl's family to prioritize education, despite the risks?

The girl's grandfather, who was disowned by his father for advocating for his daughter's education, and her educated mother played influential roles in valuing education. Her father believed that education was the key to a better future for his children.

Q: What challenges did the girl face in pursuing education in Afghanistan?

The girl faced constant fear and uncertainty due to the war and the threat of the Taliban. There were times when she wanted to quit, but her father reminded her that education was the one thing that no one could take away from her.

Q: How has the girl's education journey impacted her aspirations for other girls in Afghanistan?

The girl became a global ambassador for women's education and co-founded a boarding school for girls in Afghanistan. She dreams of creating opportunities and a brighter future for other girls, just as her family did for her.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Due to the Taliban's rule, girls in Afghanistan were forbidden from attending school, forcing a young girl to dress as a boy to accompany her sister to a secret school.

• The girl's family highly valued education and took great risks to ensure their daughters received it, even turning their home into a school for girls and women in their neighborhood.

• Despite the harsh realities of war and limited opportunities for women in Afghanistan, the girl was able to graduate from college and become a global ambassador for women's education.