Afghanistan – World
The Taliban attacked our university in 2016. They killed some of our friends, injured others, and kidnapped two of our professors.
We were studying at the American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) in Kabul. Going to school was an act of courage and resilience. AUAF was Afghanistan's only co-educational university and operated under constant threat. The Kabul campus ultimately had to close for nearly a year. Even when campus reopened, my family was hesitant to return to campus, worried about our safety.
Conflict and limited access to quality education are unfortunate realities for many, even most, people in Afghanistan. Schools and universities are under threat of violence. Students and teachers are doing their best in makeshift classrooms, fearing for their safety. Young people are forced to work or are expelled from school by the Taliban for reasons unknown to them. It's all because we were born into a land consumed by conflict.
Lucky?
Now our lives have completely changed. We are only 7% of refugees worldwide with access to higher education. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my fellow students who are struggling with the challenges of continuing their studies in Afghanistan, and the 93% of students we had to leave behind.
We had the opportunity to make our dreams come true, but they suffer from circumstances beyond their control. And we often wonder. Why should we be chosen when so many other talented and dedicated young people are deprived of this opportunity? How do we have the right to be here if our friends back home can't?
Yes, we had to prove ourselves academically. And our families supported us and gave us an unwavering belief in education and democracy. But the truth is, we are also lucky.
In 2021, our tutor told us about a new scholarship program that will allow us to study in the United States. They are the Afghanistan Future Fund, the International Institute for Educational Research, the More than Education Foundation, and universities across the United States. We applied and were accepted. Our lives have changed forever.
Alan Goodman, CEO of the Institute of International Education, said: “Programs like QSAP build human capital, cooperation and peace. At all times, but especially in times of conflict, we need students to have the opportunity to continue their education as soon as possible to avoid a lost generation. It’s important to get it.”
Upon arriving in the United States, we met some of the other 250 students who are attending over 40 institutions across the United States on full scholarships thanks to QSAP. We compared the stories of other Afghan scholars and learned that getting here meant struggle, resilience, and persistence for all of us.
We all shared a desire for knowledge and were excited by the hope that through access to this valuable education, we would finally find a way out of the constraints of conflict.
sense of responsibility
We remain excited about this opportunity. It's not just an opportunity to study, but also to make new connections and learn new skills, such as creative thinking and entrepreneurship. We helped build a network of like-minded Afghans and international students.
When we got together, we came up with a social enterprise concept called Sahara Brands, a venture that provides cutting-edge products to local creators in Kurdistan, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Although it is difficult to help Afghanistan due to the many problems it faces, we want to help people in our homeland find dignified work and income. We and her other QSAP students also feel a deep responsibility to contribute to the development of education in our home country.
We are committed to increasing and promoting access to education in Afghanistan, especially for Afghan women. We see education as an important tool for empowerment and progress.
Fahad Al Sulaiti, CEO of Education Above All Foundation, said: “Quality education creates opportunities for a sustainable future.”
We strive to keep this promise and hope you will continue to do more to help people like us.
Our message to universities is: Find sustainable and creative ways to accommodate and support displaced students like us. We are grateful to our host universities, Rutgers University-New Brunswick and Indiana University Bloomington, and the 38 other institutions that have opened their doors to her QSAP students.
We now want this opportunity to be extended to all students who are unable to continue their education in their home country. It's not just in their interest, but in everyone's interest. Jonathan Becker, Vice-Chancellor of the Open Society University Network, said: Our entire student body benefits from the presence of evacuated students on campus. ”
Message to young people
We have watched with horror recent events in Gaza and Sudan. It's so painful to watch because we know what it's like to grow up surrounded by war and fear. Our advice to young people in Gaza, and to young people affected by conflict around the world, is: “Hold on to hope.” Keep exploring alternative learning paths and connect with your support network. Be resilient and never give up on your dreams. ”
We plan to graduate in 2025 with degrees in Political Science and Environmental Sustainability Studies. Like all new graduates, we don't know exactly what the future holds. But we know that despite the challenges faced, our aspirations can flourish.
School was our bridge from chaos to optimism. It's a tragedy that only 7% of young people like us cross that bridge. Now it's our job to build bridges for the other 93%.
Yosuf Aini is a Political Science major at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, USA. Shafiqa Mogul is a major in Environmental Sustainability Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, USA.
