Can anyone truly appreciate the value of freedom and rights more than a refugee? Imagine a young refugee girl who has been seeking help and support for years, determined to end the suffering of people like herself. She is striving to empower students through the Power of education. Afghanistan human rights lawyer, Aksana Soltan, has just been named in Forbes' latest 30 under 30 Asia list.
"I come from the Mazar-e-Sharif region of Afghanistan with my family - two brothers and an older sister. My father, an engineer, has been witnessing the increasing influence of the Taliban in the environment around us. When my elder brothers went to school, my sister Vazma and I would prepare their carriages," she said.
When she was seven, her mother decided to let their lives mirror hers and packed some books in an old bag. "She dressed me in my elder brother's clothes and took me to a place with black curtains underground. I was initially scared, but then I saw other girls like me. It was a secret girls' school, with two teachers, one of whom was my mother. My sister and I disguised ourselves as boys to attend this school, taking different paths at different times. Amma hoped that at least one of us would make it. She always said that a book is a weapon for a girl" as we crossed the threshold. All 50 of us risked our lives daily for education. There were no chairs or tables; we sat in a circle and studied quietly. As the Taliban's anarchy grew, my family fled the country with only two dollars in my father's pocket," she added.
First, she was in a refugee camp in Tajikistan, Soltan said. "There is no food, no medicine, no electricity, no education. Children like us dying in the camps around me was scary at first, but then it became normal. After that, we went to Uzbekistan.
The situation is the same here and there, she said. "Amma's sewing work has saved us from getting spoiled. Dad registered our family with the UN Refugee Agency. That's why we got help from UNICEF for our studies. That is a good change in our life," Soltan added.
"Another forty people including us got a chance to stay in America. Arrived in Richmond at age 12. Even though I was studying there, the bitter experiences of the life of a refugee did not disappear from my thoughts. That's why he started a charity called 'Enhancing Children's Lives' at the age of 15. Our organization is dedicated to meeting the basic educational needs of countless girls who aspire to learn but lack the means to do so," she added.
Soltan thanked the United Nations for their support. "Our reach now extends to Haiti and Afghanistan as well as Richmond, Virginia. We supply clothing, books, bags, shoes, and stationery to the girls. Additionally, our volunteers personally provide tutoring to refugee children in the camps.
Thanks to a partnership with Walmart, we've established a library and bookstore in Afghanistan, raising awareness among 6000 women. We're leveraging solar-powered technology to deliver online education, empowering girls worldwide to become literate.
Our organisation currently boasts 2,500 dedicated volunteers. Having studied Criminal Justice at Virginia Commonwealth University, I am now working as a human rights lawyer to amplify women's voices globally. I refuse to stand idly by while witnessing the events unfolding in Afghanistan," she added. Her goal is to collaborate with others to improve conditions there and ensure women's rights are upheld.
