Today I travelled to Zabuli school, in the outskirts of Kabul City, in a village called Deh Sabz, surrounded by very beautiful hills, mujahid graves, green flags floating in the wind. It’s the land of the mujahideen, warriors who fought for their country. Razia says it is possible that the girls in this village will be more educated than the boys. The nearest boy school is very far away. The rest of the boys learn to read the Quran in a Maddrassa just opposite. We have students from Kindergarted to Grade 5 (Primary 5). As each year proceeds, the girls graduate and enter the next level. I asked Razia ‘What happens after they graduate from high school?’ She said ‘Oh I hope I will send them abroad for higher education.’

Dear Natasha,

I wanted to get in touch with you again after the incredible year that has just flown by.   I have been extremely busy with my dream project: The Zabuli School for Girls.

I think last year when we talked, I mentioned to you how frustrated and anxious I was, as time was running out and we had a deadline to finish the first girls school in Deh’ Sabz.  I had to face so many obstacles. Elders in the community put pressure on me to change the school’s mission, to let the boys attend instead of girls; you know a day before opening of our school they came and told me that I was making a great mistake for not letting the boys attend this school. One of them said, you know boys are the back-bone of Afghanistan. I laughed and said gentleman you know that girls are the eye-sight of Afghanistan and you are all too blind to see.