Photo : Seamus Murphy
boys required to attend classes . “ My parents were kind enough to tackle all the socioeconomic challenges to help us go to school . It took their blood , sweat , and tears to make sure we were getting an education .”
To earn income , they farmed for other people and used the money to cover school expenses . Zia and his brothers rewarded their parents ’ hard work by excelling at school . They also helped other students with their homework .
“ Getting an education is the first step for families to be able to tackle the challenges and contribute to the development of their community ,” explained Zia . “ Becoming a doctor means your community will have a doctor and lower mortality rates . Becoming a teacher means one day you can help the children of your community become educated . By getting an education , you will change the lives of your family and your village .”
The challenges that Zia ’ s parents faced are not unique in the rural villages of Afghanistan , Pakistan , and
Tajikistan . Poor families across Central Asia encounter the same hurdles : weak or nonexistent infrastructure , scarcity of jobs , no health care , and few educational opportunities . Uneducated and without resources , the children of these villages are trapped , unless they go to school . Education is their one hope for a more meaningful , independent life .
USING EDUCATION TO BECOME A CHANGE AGENT
With uncles who were teachers and a mother who put teachers on a pedestal , perhaps it was inevitable that Zia would become a teacher . He was a good student , excelling in math and the sciences , and his teachers liked him . When he was in high school , they recruited him to help teach middle school .
“ This was a dream job for me — to teach and help people ,” said Zia . “ I learned how to deal with students , how to cover difficult topics . I was a part-time teacher . In the morning , I went to school . In the afternoon , I went to the girls ’ school to teach . I learned a lot during that time .
I learned how an individual can contribute by helping their peers and the children of their community .”
Zia went on to graduate from college in Kabul . He earned a master ’ s degree as a Fulbright scholar at Ohio University in Athens , Ohio , then returned to Afghanistan and worked for nine years in program management and career development . Back in Afghanistan , Zia was an active participant in his country ’ s Fulbright community .
“ We were trying to make an impact ,” he recalled . “ We thought of ourselves as change agents to help Afghan society become a better society . We wanted to overcome socioeconomic challenges , let daughters go to school , and allow women to work .”
EVEN UNDER TALIBAN CONTROL , AFGHANS DEMAND ACCESS TO SCHOOL
When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021 , it imposed severe restrictions on all aspects of society , particularly on women and girls . This included limiting girls ’ access to school . Despite these obstacles , CAI was able to give more than 5,700 children , mostly girls , the opportunity to go to a community-based school this past year . With the support of its donors , CAI hopes to increase that number to at least 7,500 this coming school year .
Courageous people in remote Afghan villages are ignoring the Taliban ’ s decrees against education and demanding their children be educated . Mothers and fathers are standing up for their daughters , insisting they go to school . They ’ re working to find safe spaces to house community-based schools and serving on the local councils that monitor the schools . Villagers are working with NGOs to convince government authorities that their village needs a school . Like Zia ’ s parents , these Afghans are passionate about their children becoming literate and having the chance to build a better life .
Unfortunately , many of the people who could have helped fight for
24 | JOURNEY OF HOPE CENTRAL ASIA INSTITUTE