A Woman Who Lit a Lamp of Hope in the Heart of Darkness

Photo: © AFP via msn

Written by Fakhria Samandari, University Lecturer

In a world where the doors of education are being closed one by one to girls, in a land where being a woman sometimes means silence and isolation, I, Fakhria Samandari, stand to tell the story of a woman who, out of suffering, created a mission; a woman who, in the heart of darkness, lit a lamp of hope for future generations.

I was born in Afghanistan, in a family where traditionalism and social pressures cast their shadow over life decisions. I began my primary education in migration and under difficult circumstances in Pakistan. With my return to Kabul, full of hopes and dreams, I entered Sayed Noor Mohammad Shah Meena Girls’ High School. While many of my peers were forced into early marriage, I too could not escape this fate. I married at a young age; a marriage that was not by choice, but by compulsion and the will of my family.

During fourteen years of married life, I repeatedly lived under the heavy shadow of violence, neglect, and disrespect. Yet one thing I never lost was hope. In the midst of all that suffering, I was a mother who wanted a brighter future for my five children, especially my daughters. With countless difficulties, I continued my education up to a bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science and then in Education, while also teaching in private schools.

But I was not only a teacher; I had a dream.

Establishing the Gawharshad Begum Online School

In the years when extremist groups shut down girls’ schools and many girls were left behind closed doors, silence became more painful to me than death. I could not stand by and watch as girls who should have been in classrooms were forced to stay at home. That is why, with limited resources but an iron will, I founded the Gawharshad Begum Online School.

In this school, hundreds of girls from different parts of Afghanistan study free of charge, despite challenges such as internet issues, power outages, and lack of financial support. Everything is voluntary, with no sponsors, but with a heart full of faith.

The Pen and Education: Two Frontlines of Resistance

I took up the pen to be the voice of the silenced girls of my homeland. I wrote the book “Girls’ Education from the Perspective of Islam” to respond, through the language of religion, to those who consider women’s education forbidden. My article titled “Feminist Approaches and Their Challenges in Islamic Society” was another effort toward intellectual dialogue and clearing misunderstandings.

Alongside managing the online school, I continued teaching in private schools and collaborated with Zan Online University, Roshan Afghanistan University, Anar Academy, Harvard Academy, the New Generation of Afghanistan Organization, and the Voice of Afghan Women Movement. Despite the heavy responsibilities of motherhood, teaching, and administration, I stay up until midnight each night designing curricula, supporting students, and running awareness programs.

Challenges and Unkindness

There are many challenges: unkindness, deprivation, lack of support, and psychological pressure. But I believe that it is within these very hardships that a person is shaped. Throughout this journey, I received nothing but unkindness and mistrust from my family. Whenever I asked for help, my parents would say, “You are no longer our responsibility. Obey your husband.” But I followed the command of my own heart and mind.

Many enemies stood in my way, those who did not want a woman to emerge from darkness and shine a light of hope. But I did not give up.

Hope for the Girls of This Land

In the heart of dark nights and hopeless days, I made my daughters and the daughters of this land the guiding light of my path. I believe that education is the key to liberation and breaking the chains of ignorance. Every step I took toward educating girls not only changed their lives but also gave hope to a society that will one day reach justice and freedom.

Today, the Gawharshad Begum Online School is more than an educational institution; it is a movement, a resistance, and a powerful voice for the rights of Afghan women and girls. This school is a symbol of Afghan women’s defiance in the face of oppression and darkness.

To every woman standing on the path of change and freedom, I say:

You are not alone. Whenever you feel powerless, remember the woman who lit a lamp of hope in the heart of darkness and continued this path to this very day.

I, Fakhria Samandari, with all the pain and failures, but with a heart full of hope and determination, believe in a bright future for the women of Afghanistan and I strive for it.