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Afghan women hit by Taliban education ban go online to pursue dreams
Back in 2021, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, quickly implementing a series of restrictions, including ban on women's education beyond primary school
When the Taliban seized power again after the US left Afghanistan, opportunities for women started to vanish, and 24-year-old Sodaba could do nothing but watch as the regime increased its control over women's lives.
Sodaba, who found her hope in an online coding course for women, now believes that people should not be limited by their circumstances. An online course offered by Dari, a young Afghan refugee living miles away in Greece, became the only source for Sodaba to pursue her dreams, AP reported. She began learning computer programming and website development.
Also read: Taliban stripped Afghan women of rights: US Report
Taliban rule imposed restrictions on women
Back in 2021, the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, quickly implementing a series of restrictions on women, including restrictions on visiting parks or gyms, eating in restaurants, and working, except in very few professions.
But the hardest blow came after the ban on education beyond primary school.
Sodaba, who asked to be identified by only her first name, was once a pharmacology student. She now says that the new skills helped her regain confidence: “I am so happy to be part of this journey.”
The courses are a part of Afghan Geeks, a company created by Murtaza Jafari, now 25, who arrived in Greece on a boat from Turkey years ago as a teenage refugee.
Jafari, who got enrolled in a coding course with the help of a teacher, says that he had no idea about computers before this.
As someone not familiar with English, essential to learn coding language, he says it was extremely difficult for him. “I was trying at the same time to learn Greek, learn English, and then also learn computer… It was super difficult for me,” he told AP.
Several months later, he earned his certificate, opening up a new world for him. Following this, Jafari founded Afghan Geeks.
Jafari told AFP that the online course was started to give back to the community and Afghan women. “I think … sharing knowledge is what makes a real difference to someone,” he said.
With 28 female students in Afghanistan divided into three classes: beginner, intermediate, and advanced, Jafari is on the road to achieving his vision. Aside from teaching, he also mentors his students in finding online internships and jobs using their new skills.
Most of his students join his team at Afghan Geeks, which offers website development and chatbot creation services. To clients from Afghanistan to the US and the UK.
Jafar is also careful about the identities of these women and has never asked them to open their cameras, "I’ve never done that. I don’t want to do it, because I respect their culture, their choice,” he said further.
Also read: UN ‘concerned’ as Afghanistan women arrested over Taliban dress code
Online academy with 4000 students
Another online university leading in the vision to educate Afghan women is Vision Online University. From psychology and foreign languages to Quranic studies, nursing, and public speaking, it offers a variety of online courses.
What began as a team of five people now has a crew of 150 teachers and administrators, and more than 4,000 students. Zahul, a young Afghan woman whose own dreams were shattered after the ban, decided to partner with a university professor to launch this academy. “Our only aim or goal is to provide free education for girls and to enhance research in Afghanistan,” she said.
“We are all working voluntarily with no salary, no support,” said the 20-year-old, who uses a nickname for fear of reprisals after receiving threats over the academy. Zahul, who herself pursues a degree in computer science, says that it has been tough without funding. She says that women can’t pay for premium online services. However, she will continue to do it to uplift Afghan women and because if she stops, over 4,000 women could fall back into despair.
