When the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, it was as if half the nation’s soul was snatched away overnight. For the women, the world they knew -- the classrooms that nurtured their dreams, the jobs that gave them purpose, and the public spaces where they laughed freely --vanished in a blink.
Streets that once echoed with the ambition of young girls now lay still, blanketed by an enforced silence. In a cruel twist of history, the clock was wound backwards. Girls were locked out of schools, their future buried in the veils of lost opportunity.
The hands that once held pens, microphones or surgical instruments were pushed to the margins; denied not only work but dignity.
Stripped of their already limited freedom, women became prisoners in their homes, moving only under the watchful eye of male guardians.
For them, survival is now an act of quiet defiance in the face of engulfing darkness.
This is the story of Harir Marhamat*, a 17-year-old girl whose world was shattered when the Taliban took over the reins in her country. Despite the efforts to erase her existence, she stands resilient, a testament to Afghan women’s refusal to disappear into oblivion.
Before 2021, Harir had a life filled with excitement about the future; attending school, studying English, and planning to become a doctor. But now, like many Afghan girls, her life revolves around finding discreet ways to continue learning and surviving in a society that has severely constricted women's freedoms.
“Before the Taliban came, life was full of joy and happiness. On a typical day, I would attend school till the evening, when I would return home to help my mother with the house chores. I would enjoy life with my friends and family; with no stress or anxiety. We were also very busy at that time. But now, in the current situation, we lost the freedom. I am not even able to meet and interact with my friends because most of my friends were from school. Now, I cannot even go to school. We can’t even carry a schoolbag or a pen without being questioned by the Taliban. If they see us walking with books, they stop us and ask where we’re going and what we are doing,” Harir narrates.
She was only in 9th grade when the Taliban took over and she was forced to leave school.
“They only allow the men to study the ‘big’ courses and attend any type of university while women are limited to only attending institutions where they can learn basic medical and nursing education. Only girls who attend this type of institution have the right to work and have jobs,” says Harir, whose dream is to become a doctor.
“Even becoming a midwife has not been easy for me. My sister and I went to some health institution to enroll. However, they were enrolling only girls who have completed high school but, since I left school while in 9th grade, I did not meet the criteria,” she sadly recalls.
In all this, what keeps Harir going is the love and support that she gets from her parents.
“When my sister and I were rejected at the school, it was a very difficult moment for me, but my dad hugged me and told me that he would keep supporting me. He urges me to not give up and that one day I will achieve all my goals,” says Harir who has seven siblings.
Despite all the stumbling blocks placed on her education path, Harir refuses to let her dreams fade away. She is determined to continue learning, even if it means doing so in secret.
Speaking to The EastAfrican virtuallyfrom her family’s home in Afghanistan she told us about her “underground” classes.
“Together with some other girls, we requested our schoolteacher to set up a class for us in her house. Here, she teaches us English and, on some days, she teaches us science subjects such as chemistry, and physics, and mathematics. There are only six girls here. She charges us half the normal amount that we would pay in school. At least now I have something to keep me busy. When I get home, I can do some of the homework we are given.”
Harir attends the classes at least three days a week in the afternoon.
To avoid getting caught, she has crafted some wise ways of escaping scrutiny. She has to use different routes every time.
“Attending these secret classes is not without risks. We can’t take the same route every day, or people might notice. I use a different path going to my teacher’s house and a different one coming back to avoid getting caught by the Taliban. We also can’t carry bags or books because that would make us a target,” she says.
When she is not reading medical books, Harir spends her free time writing poems.
Despite the limitations imposed on her, Harir remains hopeful about her dream to become a doctor. “I want to become a doctor one day and build a hospital. I want to help those who are weak and don't have enough support. If you look at the new hospitals in Afghanistan, you will see that not a lot of people can afford them. So, my biggest dream is to build a big hospital in our country for people who are poor and can't afford to travel abroad for treatment.”
Would she ever consider leaving Afghanistan?
Harir says that if her parents had the financial capacity, she would want to leave to study abroad, but she would still come back home.
Harir Marhamat at her home in Afghanistan.
Photo credit: Pool
“Currently, my family is not able to afford to pay for me to continue my education outside the country but, if I have a chance, I will leave the country for education. However, after school, I’d return to my country, and my main mission would be to serve my people,” she says, her voice filled with determination.
But there is hope. Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme, is helping girls like Harir gain the skills needed to achieve their dreams.
“I hope that this programme will help me develop the skills I need to become an entrepreneur, and I hope it will give me the tools to help others,” she says.
Harir’s story is not just one of survival. It’s one of quiet defiance. Her refusal to give up on learning, despite the obstacles, is a testament to the resilience of Afghan girls and women.
She understands the risks involved in attending secret classes but believes that education is worth the risk. What all this has taught her is that “strength, perseverance, and resilience are important, no matter how bad the situation gets.”
Sofia Alpizar, programme design and development officer at Women for Women International, the Adolescent Girls Empowerment Programme aims to support 3,000 teenage girls by 2025 in a 10-month programme tailored to promote gender equality, improve health outcomes, enhance financial literacy, and provide vocational training.
“We design the curriculum to fit local cultural contexts and engage girls through storytelling, group discussions, and role-playing,” she says.
The programme also provides participants with a cash stipend to ease their engagement and ensures that trainers are equipped with child-safeguarding skills.
“Our goal is to empower these girls to overcome the barriers they face and create a better future for themselves and their communities,” Sofia says.
*Harir’s name has been changed to protect her identity.
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