Here’s a story told by a woman in Afghanistan whose name has been omitted to protect the innocent. I have built custom GPTs for those people interested in helping their fellow human beings in Gaza (Palestine) and Vietnam, and will do the same for Afghanistan. I also created a GPT for young Afghan women similar to the Gaza Scholarship Guide.

Follow this link to read a recent UN assessment of the deteriorating human rights situation in Afghanistan.

MAA

Under the Silence, We Still Dream (my title)

Thank you for taking the time to listen and care about what is happening in Afghanistan. Sometimes, simply being heard already means a lot to us.

It has been almost five years since 2021, since the Taliban took over Afghanistan and began restricting women and girls from education, work, and even normal participation in society. For millions of Afghan women, life changed overnight. Dreams disappeared. Universities closed their doors to girls. Women were removed from jobs. Many of us suddenly lost not only our opportunities, but also our sense of identity, independence, and hope for the future.

For families like mine, the situation became heartbreaking. I am the only breadwinner of my family. I live with my elderly retired mother, whose health condition does not allow her to work, and my four younger siblings who depend on me. Imagine carrying the responsibility of an entire family while being told you are not allowed to study, work freely, or build the future you dreamed of.

Every day feels like a battle between survival and hopelessness. Bills continue to grow, responsibilities continue to grow, but opportunities become smaller and smaller. Sometimes I stay awake at night wondering how I will manage everything tomorrow while trying not to let my family see how broken and exhausted I feel inside.

And sadly, my story is only one among thousands in Afghanistan. There are many families whose fathers worked in the army and were killed during the conflict. Now their homes are left without support, and often it is women or even very young children trying to somehow feed their families. Poverty is everywhere. Depression is growing. Family conflicts are increasing. Many young people feel trapped between fear, uncertainty, and silence. Some people completely lose hope.

Sometimes I ask myself painful questions:

Why should a girl lose her future simply because she was born a woman in Afghanistan?

Why are we denied the right to education, work, freedom, and the life we once dreamed about?

What was our fault?

Even with all of this pain, I still try to hold onto hope. Deep inside, I still believe Afghan women are strong, talented, and capable of creating change if we are given opportunities and support. I have many ideas and dreams to help Afghan women and youth, but without resources, sponsorship, and guidance, it has been difficult to bring those ideas to life.

That is why your support, your willingness to listen, and your solidarity truly matter. Sometimes one opportunity, one connection, or one person believing in us can change someone’s entire future.

Thank you again for standing with Afghan women and for caring about our voices ❤️