“I soon found myself in a strange house experiencing a life of domestic violence”

“I was not yet 4 years old when I lost my father. I was left with a world of grief and pain, alone with my older brother and mother. When I was 7 years old, my mother enrolled me in school, even though we had no money for pencils and notebooks. For half a day, I worked in different households to earn some money for my school supplies. My mother did laundry and cooked bread in neighbours’ houses.

However, another tragedy unfolded when I turned 10, and my mother remarried and abandoned me in a dilapidated house, leaving me to face the world alone. My 25-year-old brother took me into his custody, but he hit me all the time. My brother and uncle forced me to marry at the age of 10 and I soon found myself in a strange house experiencing a life of domestic violence.

I was very diligent, and one night, I asked my husband if I could visit my brother’s house for a few days. He refused my request, but two months later, he gave me permission. I hope my brother would have changed, but I was wrong. Nothing had changed and I faced only criticism and threats.

Despite all these challenges, I was successful in school and achieved the third-highest rank in seventh grade. I enrolled in an English language training centre funded by the United States, where I continued to perform well.

After the fall of Afghanistan, all my hopes for an education, like those of thousands of other girls in my home country, were dashed as all the educational facilities and universities were closed. 

My passion for literature and writing has remained with me. In the last two years, I’ve written over 35 stories dealing with the hardships of Afghan girls, especially in Samangan. I even wrote a book entitled The Society of Loneliness, but unfortunately, I have not been able to publish it for lack of funding.

I ask the United Nations to give us a helping hand, support us and please help us pave the way to reach our dreams by putting pressure on the Taliban to accept our rights to an education, work and more.”