‘Afghan girls are not sitting idly by. When I walk the streets of Kabul, I see many girls in black hijabs carrying backpacks full of books: they are determined to get an education by any means necessary.’
Looking back at her 30-year career as a teacher, lecturer, radio presenter and playwright, an Afghan woman tells a searing story of joy amidst upheaval and violence. As a new generation of Afghan girls – among them her daughters – confronts unrelenting repression with grit and determination, she remains hopeful for the future.
This piece was made possible by the Bagri Creative Writing Award, a partnership between Untold Narratives and the Bagri Foundation to support Afghan women writers in the Paranda group.
A life of joy and work, by Paranda writer Najla (pen name), translated from Pashto by Asad Nariman (pen name).
