A Stitch in Time: Afghan Girls Pursue Education despite Challenges

Over the past 20 years, Afghanistan has made significant strides in the education sector. According to a UNESCO report, student enrollment across all education levels has increased tenfold, from about one million students in 2001 to approximately 10 million in 2018. The number of girls attending primary school has also surged, rising from nearly zero in 2001 to 2.5 million in 2018[1]. However, since the De Facto Authorities’ (DFA) takeover in August 2021, the education system has suffered significantly, with at least 1.4 million girls denied access to secondary education[2]. 

Fatima* (17), Mursal* (16), Razia* (17), and Fariba* (18) are some of the girls facing an uncertain future due to the ongoing ban on their fundamental right to education. These hard working girls are neighbours in a remote village in Bamyan Province, about 40 kilometres from Bamyan City. The village lacks essential services such as telecommunications, healthcare, transportation, and retail facilities, with the nearest school and health centre located six kilometres away. Despite these challenges, the girls were determined to attend school. For seven years, they walked approximately three hours daily to and from school, making the journey together. However, in 2021, when they were in Grade 7, the new authority banned girls from attending secondary education, leaving them disappointed and hopeless.

The girls come from low-income families with parents who did not receive formal education. Fatima lives with her parents and five siblings, Mursal with her parents and seven siblings, and Razia with her parents and four siblings. Razia’s younger sister graduated from Grade 6 but will not be able to attend school next year. Fariba lives with her parents and five siblings; her two elder sisters, who are married, could not pursue an education, as girls’ education was uncommon at that time. All school-age siblings attend school, but the older siblings, like Fariba’s sisters, remain uneducated. 

The parents of all the girls understand the importance of education and refer to their daughters as the “generation of change,” believing they can achieve a better life. The mothers typically manage the household’s domestic work, and are skilled in livestock care, and contribute to agricultural tasks. Mursal and Fatima’s fathers are farmers, earning an average monthly income of AFN 8,000-10,000  (approximately USD 120-150) each. While Fariba and Razia’s fathers are shopkeepers—one selling groceries and the other clothes—with a monthly income of AFN 12,000-15,000 (approximately USD 180-220) each.

Facing numerous hardships in accessing education, the school ban was the saddest news the girls had ever heard. Their lives were filled with grief, as the prospect of formal education in their village seemed unimaginable. Mursal shared, “To stay connected to learning, we went to the Madrasa[3] for more than a year after the new government banned education. Besides that, we wove carpets during winters and contributed to agricultural activities from spring to summer.”

“Before the DFA, most girls in our village went to school, and we had an inspiring educational competition. About seven girls graduated from school and even pursued higher education. We wanted to do the same,” shared Mursal. “Though we kept ourselves busy, as Mursal mentioned, there was always a grief in our hearts. Most of the time, all of us would gather and talk about our classes and classmates, reminiscing about the beautiful days we had in school,” said Razia.

Community World Service Asia (CWSA) launched an online education initiative in 2024 to support Afghan girls affected by the school ban, ensuring they have continued access to secondary education. Funded by Week of Compassion (WoC), this project targets 120 girls in Bamyan Province—60 in Grade 7 and 60 in Grade 8—providing them with essential resources, including android tablets, power banks, curriculum books, stationery, and monthly internet packages. Classes are held six days a week from 1:00 PM to 4:30 PM. In partnership with a Pakistan-based school, CWSA arranged for Afghan refugee teachers to teach the Afghan curriculum, ensuring language compatibility for students.

Among the students, the girls—Fatima, Mursal, Razia, and Fariba—enrolled in the programme in February 2024. Despite the lack of internet coverage in their village, their families prioritised their education by moving them to Bamyan city, where they rented a small room for AFN 1,700 (approximately USD 26) monthly. Living together, the girls manage their expenses, supported by their families, who contribute approximately AFN 2,000 (approximately USD 30) each month for food and rent. Each family’s support has enabled the girls to focus on their studies in a stable environment.

The girls have also taken on additional learning separately, attending an English class in the city from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM before their online school sessions begin. They often return to their village on weekends to visit family. Masoma*, the programme’s social mobiliser, commends the girls for their dedication and participation, noting their positive influence in the classroom.

The flexible remote learning model has allowed the girls to study without the lengthy commute they once endured. Their mutual support through group study sessions has fostered a strong sense of teamwork and problem-solving. Fariba expressed, “Living on our own has taught us essential life skills like budgeting, decision-making, and supporting each other. I hope to complete school and pursue higher education.”

These girls aspire to become doctors and establish a health centre in their village, providing much-needed services to their community. Mursal’s father remarked, “We believe in education’s power. Seeing my daughter study gives me hope. I am deeply grateful to those who made this programme possible for some of the most impoverished communities, like ours in the country.”

After their exams, the girls returned to their village, where they planned to spend the winter weaving carpets to fund their education for the next school term. In their community, carpet weaving is a common winter activity for women and girls, as the harsh cold and snow make agricultural work impossible during this season. The income from carpet weaving varies depending on the time invested each day. On average, two girls can complete a 4×3 metre carpet within two to four months, selling it at the market for around AFN 2,300 (approximately USD 34) per metre. These earnings will contribute to their educational expenses when classes resume.

[1]  https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000378911
[2] https://www.unesco.org/en/emergencies/education/afghanistan
[3] Educational centers for Islamic instruction teach the holy Quran, Tajwid, Haddith etc.