“I am making the most of my current captivity”
Negina“I am 15 years old. Unfortunately, after the Taliban came to power, I could not continue my education, not only in regular school, but also in private courses. If the conditions were like they were before, I would be in 11th grade now, preparing for the university entrance exam.
I went through a period of severe depression, but with the help of my family, I managed to regain my spirit and start reading some books again. So far, I’ve been able to study 20 educational books for the first time and keep revisiting them. At the same time, I’m trying to learn tailoring from my older sister. I managed to buy a whiteboard after sewing five different types of clothes.
And for the past six months, I’ve been teaching 12 neighbourhood children who, due to poverty or other reasons, couldn’t go to school. We hold daily one-hour classes in one of the rooms in our house. I’ve been teaching them subjects like math and Dari, and fortunately, they can now read and write.
Sometimes, my worries weigh me down, but I raise my head high and promise myself that I will achieve my dreams. I would love to have a career as a media presenter or television host, [so I have been] expanding my vocabulary and knowledge through reading.
As my father is a farmer and my mother is a housewife, my father cannot meet the household expenses as he used to, so I am striving to save some money [by sewing clothing] so I can get a private tutor to learn English. My ultimate goal is to obtain a scholarship and continue on to higher education at a reputable university abroad.