(This article is based on a phone conversation with an Afghan woman based in Kabul. The Quint will be publishing many such oppressed voices of women from Afghanistan. Write to us at hope@thequint.com.)
"Rizwana teacher, Rizwana teacher, Rizwana teacher!"
It has been one month since I entered my school campus in Afghanistan's Herat. No matter how much effort I put in, I cannot stop thinking about my girl students, thousands of other students, who are missing the opportunity to be educated – all because we are living in constant fear under the Taliban.
At 24, I started teaching students of primary schools. For two years, I witnessed joy in classrooms, of girls bubbling and bantering, getting excited about learning. I spoke to parents who were excited, dreamed of a future beyond marriage for their daughters. I convinced some parents to let their girls pursue higher education. There was hope, there was life.