I am searching for my sweetheart and beloved - I cannot see her in those present Where has she gone , she is not between those present - I cannot see any of her signs / clues in this gathering I am looking for her every side and everywhere - I cannot see the effect of her rosegarden by Rumi
s a young girl , Roina always dreamed
Aof being an educated woman . She loved poetry , especially the works of Mawlana , known as Rumi in the western world , and Rahman Baba , another highly admired Sufi poet . She imagined one day being able to read her favorite poems to her children and having the skills and knowledge to give them a good life .
But living in Afghanistan , which reports one of the highest illiteracy rates for women in the world , Roina was denied access to education . She was married off young , and children came soon after . Like other young women in Afghanistan , she was expected to raise the children , care for elderly family members , and handle the endless household chores .
Roina explains that when the Taliban rose to power , “ All women lost their hope for a bright future .” She was an uneducated mother confined to the house , invisible to the outside world . “ Living within those four walls was nothing less than a prison ,” she said . Powerless and without a voice , she and her peers watched their dreams of a better life evaporate alongside cultural customs and mores that favored men .
Then one day , Roina ’ s husband didn ’ t come home , so she and her neighbors went looking for him . They found his body floating in the river , and they assumed he either drowned accidentally or committed suicide . Illiterate and without a marketable skill , Roina was left to singlehandedly support her eight young children . The responsibility weighed heavily on her , and the financial burden felt insurmountable .
Determined to find a way to earn income , Roina explored every option she could think of . She talked with friends and neighbors about possible jobs . She kept her eyes and ears open , hoping something would turn up . Then she heard about a literacy program being offered by a local nonprofit , Shining Star Educational Organization of Afghanistan , one of CAI ’ s implementing partners .
“ I became very enthusiastic ,” Roina recalled . “ I decided to attend classes . I renewed my hopes and dreams and once again started my journey to become a literate mother .”
Roina enrolled in the Shining Star literacy program to get the education she had been denied in childhood . She learned how to read . She learned basic math skills . She became more confident and started believing in her ability to find work and support her family .
Getting an education introduced Roina to the outside world and broadened her thinking . She became more optimistic about her children ’ s future , and she started to talk with them about making good choices and keeping a positive mindset . Above all , Roina got the peace of mind of knowing that her daughters would have options beyond the repressed life she faced as a young mother in a male-dominated society .
Participating in a program with other women who are eager to change their lives through education has given Roina a built-in community of like-minded peers . The women share their goals and ambitions and offer each other support . As many of us in the United States have learned during the pandemic , isolation can be debilitating . Thanks to the friends she made in her classes , Roina no longer feels alone .
The opportunity to learn has changed Roina ’ s life . Despite living through circumstances that seemed unbearable , today Roina is filled with hope . She ’ s motivated and sees possibilities that were once unimaginable . She ’ s become a champion for education and wants it for everyone .
“ I know the importance of these classes ,” said Roina . “ If a man becomes literate , only one person becomes literate . But if a woman becomes literate , she can contribute to the literacy of a family and a society .”
Roina is living the mission of Central Asia Institute : When girls and women thrive , families , communities , and nations prosper . Thanks to your support , thousands more girls and women like Roina will experience the transformative power of education as they reach for what ’ s ahead . Watch for their amazing stories in the months and years to come . a
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