“I was determined to the point that I no longer feared death and I stood up courageously to fight”

“I remember that dreadful night in the first year of the Taliban’s rule when I had lost all hope of a bright future. After scoring 280 in the university entrance exam and gaining admission to my desired computer science faculty, I was overwhelmed with happiness to see my name among the list of successful girls and boys entering the university.  

 Although I was incredibly pessimistic and anxious about the future, the opportunity to attend university gave me a glimmer of hope and opened another path for me. I was fully prepared for a fresh start, and I had many dreams for my future. From that very day, I saw myself as a software engineer, shaping the future of Afghanistan. But this dream was short-lived.  

One day, due to an unfair decision to close the university gates, my aspirations were shattered. I had to bury all those dreams because, as a girl, I was unable to reach them. 

I vividly recall that dark and bitter night, and it is one of the most painful memories of my life. I was in the second semester of the computer science faculty, preparing for the last exam of the semester at the university two days later. It was 8 PM when I received a message from one of my classmates, which was the announcement of the closure of universities in our class group. I was shocked when I saw the announcement. At first, I thought it couldn’t be true. But shortly after, all social media were flooded with the news of the closure.  

The days passed in despair, and the weight of that sorrow weighed heavily on all of us. But that was not the end.  

Even in the face of all the hardships I encountered, I began working at one of Afghanistan’s media outlets that focuses on women’s issues.