The Darkest Era

We are in the darkest era. 

Women and girls have always been enduring a lot of difficulties and hardships during the history of Afghanistan to defend their rights. Their positions and rights have never been afforded as human. However, in the current government, we are experiencing the darkest and most painful days which is the most important period of our lives as well, because it is our education time. 

I, as an Afghanistani girl, am living in one of the most deprived parts of Afghanistan. I am really tired of this situation in Afghanistan. Most of the girls that I know are just surviving, not living. When I wake up every morning, I have no motivation, no idea, no goal and no desire for living at all because it is about four years that we are in this cage, under the Taliban government. 

Every day starts with a new limitation, not any improvement. I remember the day that the Taliban banned our Kankur preparation course and we left the course with the tears of our eyes. I remember that teachers were just consoling us and telling us that we can narrate this situation to our grandchildren in the future. How we got through such a hard time. Exactly like that day, today they have also banned our English class. This class was not just for studying, it was a new window of hope for broken hearts. It was to forget the school sadness, but this opportunity has also been taken from us. 

I, as an Afghanistani girl, while walking on the route, recognize that hope and motivation have died in the hearts of girls. I and all the girls in Afghanistan want a change. I want a change whether that is war or even the end of my life. I prefer death rather than this enslavement. I am tired of this injustice and regulation. I am tired of these limitations that are choking me, I am tired of being a victim of politics. I really don’t know why the legal organizations, politicians and civil activists keep silent. Half of the population is choking because of politics but still they are all silent. It is about four years that we are shouting, but the world is silent, the world didn’t have any improvements in this case. Has humanity died? During these four years thousands of girls have been forced into underage marriages. I see this every day around myself. I hope one day humanity will rise again. I hope one day the world does something for this helpless generation, for this weaponless generation. I hope one day we will have a peaceful world with no violence at all. No violence in any parts of the world.

– Rahima

Letter received from our students participating in our Mentorship program. Text altered for protection of our students and for grammatical changes.