THE TALIBAN RUINED MY LIFE AND NOW THEY ARE RUINING THE WHOLE COUNTRY’S FUTURE

Then, as I was in the middle of making a good life for myself and my family, I suffered a terrible incident. My husband, my newborn baby and I were driving on a highway when a Taliban magnet bomb in a fuel tanker exploded, with our car right behind it. In the blink of an eye, everything was on fire. There was no way out of the car. I tried to open the door or the window, but my hands were so badly burned and my body and my clothes were on fire. I was deeply devastated by this incident, which took the lives of my husband and my newborn baby. This inhumane act of the Taliban turned my life to ashes.

After recovering from that terrible incident, I started dreaming about my life again, and I planned to continue my education by applying to different universities. I was admitted to a university in Egypt. Despite all the hardships and financial struggles, I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Law and Sharia, with high honors.

Then, when I was in the first year of my graduate studies when I received a marriage proposal from a teacher at my university. I accepted his offer, knowing that he was well-educated and had a good social status. Most importantly, I wanted to forget my past and live a happy life pursuing my Masters’ and working in Egypt.

I was not aware that my happy days were coming to an end, again. After two or three months, my new husband started abusing me and hitting me. I got pregnant and later delivered my baby alone in the house. After my [daughter] was one month old, my husband did not allow me to go to university, see my friends or talk to my family. Unfortunately, no one helped me, and I had no other option than to return to Afghanistan, alone.

Before the Taliban takeover, I’d started taking English courses and got a job with a private consultancy as a Programme Associate.

I still work with the consulting firm, from home, but I am also working along with my mother, who is teaching tailoring to women and girls. After the takeover, most of them lost their jobs and they are the only breadwinners for their families. My mother is teaching them tailoring and embroidery so they can learn skills and have their own small businesses someday.

 I hope there will come a time when Afghan women and girls will no longer experience violence and inequality. We are in dire need of support. The Taliban took everything from us. Please support Afghan girls and women. We are at a very critical and sensitive moment.