THE MOST IMPORTANT CHANGE IN OUR LIVES IS THAT WE ARE ALL TIED TO THE CONFINES OF OUR HOME

“I finished my schooling until grade 12 and was then married. But my husband was killed by the Taliban in 2012. Before that, I completed my university degree and created a non-profit organization dedicated to Afghan women’s education and vocational training and registered it with the Ministry of Economy. We used to work on advocacy for gender issues, health, education. We also did surveys and offered vocational training.

Because of my activities, in 2016, my son was killed … but I did not surrender … and I continue my advocacy.

With funding from an Afghan woman who lives abroad and an INGO I continue to organize activities that are not risky and possible to implement given the current situation, such as tailoring courses for women, and I provide sewing machines for women. I also support women financially in the villages to continue their livestock activities and have bought cows for women to produce animal products, such as milk or cheese, and sell it at the market.

The most important issue to me for now is providing financial support, so that we can support ourselves and our families and our employees because we don't have any other income.

The de facto authorities (DFA) closed our offices, which for my institution affected 22 women and men who were the heads of their households and are now facing dire financial difficulties.

Since the fall, I have been able to distribute humanitarian aid … such as food and clothing, …to women from different provinces. I have suggested this so that they do not suffer.

But I am also teaching girls, free-of-charge, from my home, offering secret classes from grades 7 to 12 to girls.

What I hope for most is the re-opening of schools. I have experienced 12 presidents in my life. If the situation continues like this, there will be no hope for future of Afghan girls.

The overall solution is to remove any restrictions imposed on us by the Taliban. We need financial support to open private female schools and support businesswomen to resume their activities.

One thing people can do for Afghan women is send humanitarian aid. Those [few] women who are in the lead institutions and organizations must be helped financially so that we can at least support our employees who need to feed their families. I ask the international community not to forget us.”