Thorny Path

When I was a little girl, I always dreamed of becoming a doctor. I wanted to help women and girls who, like my mother, did not have access to healthcare. But the day the schools closed, it felt as though my dreams were stolen from me.

At first, I was in shock, not believing that I would no longer be able to attend school. Every morning, I woke up with hope, praying that something would change. But no miracle came. All the future I had envisioned for myself vanished overnight.

But I did not give up. Along with a few other girls, we secretly attended study sessions. Our families were terrified, but we held on to hope. One day, on my way back from one of these sessions, armed men stopped me. They told me that girls should not study and threatened me with severe consequences if I continued. That day, everything changed.

I could no longer go outside, and hope seemed so far out of reach. But one day, a relative introduced me to the Women’s Empowerment Program. At first, I couldn’t believe that I could continue my education online, but as soon as I took my first class, I felt alive again.

This program didn’t just help me study; it showed me that women in Afghanistan always find a way to move forward. Now, I help other girls to keep their hopes alive. Thanks to this program, I believe that the future is still within reach.

Nuriyeh Mansoori