After becoming the matriarch of her family at 22, she realised the importance of financial independence and decided to ensure her students had opportunities learn and earn. This story has been adapted from a piece that originally appeared on the website for the UNs Office for the Secretary Generals Envoy on Youth. Durrani was named an Education Champion by the Malala Fund for her outstanding work to advance Afghan girls education. I hope 2021 is a year of compassion, love and respect for human rights defenders all over the world. And the fourth one is, like, they study through radio lessons. Other than that, I'm going to be honest, as a woman, as a person who used to live with a family, who had a good, fulfilled life, now I'm, like, lost. And we need to do this right now this is the moment, if we let it go, it's going to become chaotic, suffocating, as it has been in the past. DURRANI: The new reality is that I work in two different time zones. Allyson Castillo and Karin Watson are calling for gender equality and climate justice in Chile, and social media is helping them reach a wide range of people, including politicians and the government. In my country, I hope we effectively act on the climate crisis and take measures to stop the widespread damage COVID-19 has wreaked, particularly on low-income Black and brown communities. In 2018 she founded LEARN Afghanistan, a nonprofit that works to expand educational opportunities in the country, and has educated thousands of Afghan boys, girls, and women, and trained dozens of teachers in digital literacy. Welcome. Durrani went into hiding, and as threats to her safety increased, she decided to come to the United States. Credit: Private. When people asked him why he took women in his car, he would raise his voice at them and say openly that I was his daughter and that there was no shame in taking me to school.. They won't ask them, when will the Taliban open the schools? Watch our short introduction video for more information. Yet it happened. I want to support more survivors of gender-based violence, provide better healthcare for those battling mental health issues and ensure there are more young people in decision-making positions everywhere.. I'm trying to get my words out. Her father, a local When COVID-19 hit her community, she adapted by using lower access technology like SMS, calling and Google drive based learning alongwith hybrid partnership models that engaged on ground relief workers with digital access to take services to those without any access at all, to continue her work. Contribute to IMDb. Her father, a local She is an Afghan human rights activist and community development expert whose focus is girls education. So I never had that sort of problem with my life or as a child. https://www.facebook.com/pashtanadurrani.barak. It shouldn't be something elite. Private Pashtana Durrani. I am hoping to establish at least 10 digital schools within Afghanistan and 1 in Syrian refugee camps, so girls can access quality education despite the conflict. We want to see youth activism will continue and grow, so young people have the opportunity to make an impact.. International community always goes and negotiates with them.
More at IMDbPro Contact I remain hopeful about our future I hope for humanity and healthcare and I hope people show more gratitude towards each other. Im working on my anxiety and my fear of socialization. But I am hopeful this is not permanent. But you always have to have some practical work before you lobby for activism or anything like that. General Educational Rights for girls and Right to work for Afghan women. In the future, Durrani says, she wants to help refugees in rural areas who have little or no access to education. He did mentor me for quite some time. It's a nonprofit based in Afghanistan that helps girls access education. This year, I want to ensure quality education is accessible for children living in internally displaced camps and refugee camps and banish the taboos around menstrual hygiene. Pashtana Durrani is the founder and executive director of LEARN, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering girls in Afghanistan through education. Afraid for their lives, Afghan women judges desperately seek escape from Taliban, For 20 years, the Taliban have been making promises they don't keep, such as being part of a transitional government and protecting the rights of Afghan people, says Afghan women's rights advocate Zubaida Akbar. SELYUKH: You yourself only graduated from university in May. I needed to put my education first, Durranisays. In 1747, after establishing the Durrani Empire based in Kandahar , he adopted the epithet Shh Durr-i-Durrn , "King, Pearl of Pearls," and changed the name of the tribe to "Durrani" after himself. In 1747, after establishing the Durrani Empire based in Kandahar , he adopted the epithet Shh Durr-i-Durrn , "King, Pearl of Pearls," and changed the name of the tribe to "Durrani" after himself. ", Durrani said now is the time to interrogate those promises"because if you don't speak now, you will never be able to speak again.". Pashtana Durrani is a visiting fellow at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Seeing the way her cousins learned from TV, Durrani started thinking about providing technology for girls who didnt have access to schools (Pashtana Durrani: Rumie Spotlight Story).
DURRANI: Of course. Are you going to use teaching as the only method, and also Islamic teaching as the only profession that would be acceptable for women? LEARN also focuses on girls health, and has trained 700 girls in menstrual hygiene management. Now I think children are the mirror of their parents actions. As a result, many human rights injustices were amplified but our work as human rights defenders continued. Founder and executive director of Learn Afghan. There are no specific moments. I started LEARN with my cousin, who was actually unable to go to school and hadn't been able to attain proper schooling for quite some time. Durrani was named an Education Champion by the Malala Fund for her outstanding work to advance Afghan girls education. Pashtana Durrani (@BarakPashtana), founder and executive director of LEARN Afghanistan Connect with The Take: Twitter ( @AJTheTake ), Instagram ( @ajthetake ) and Facebook ( @TheTakePod ) Mine was when my cousin asked me if she could have the same life that I did. If they dont let us have physical classes, we will go with online ones.
Are you going to use Koranic or Islamic learning to be used as an alternative for general education? When COVID-19 brought the world to a standstill last year, Lehlogonolo had to adapt the way she worked. On Sunday,President Ashraf Ghani fled the country, whichculminatedin the capture of the capital of Kabul. She was raised by a family of teachers, but even in her extended family in Afghanistan, she knew that many girls did not go to school. I hope to contribute by being a better listener and a visible ally to peers and communities across our movement.. This drove her to start LEARN, a network of schools and partnerships to teach girls STEM subjects. She remains hopeful. SELYUKH: You have left Afghanistan - right here now in Massachusetts. DURRANI: Well, it's not about just being lost. WebPashtana Dorani. More at IMDbPro Contact A lovingly narrated, sharply nuanced memoir from a talented activist. Other Works Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani, 23, Afghanistan Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani started advocating for girls education when she was seven. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor.
LEARN provides girls with mentorship and the opportunity to create a sustainable future. "With permission. Here, members of Amnesty Internationals Global Youth Collective and allies reflect on the year just passed and share their hopes for 2021. I almost died in the Afghanistan war, and for what? There, she saw firsthand how unsafe it was for girls to travel to school. I think its less about masculinity and femininity. I came from a very rich family, I would say, or sort of family that could afford living - housing and everything.
Thank you for having me. When it comes to girls' education, I'm not the sort of person who gets, I wouldn't say inspired. And they were not talking about their grievances. Browse our About Page to get quick overviews of the different areas of MY HERO. There are so many ways to have an impact: educating yourself on human rights abuses, donating and raising funds for grassroots organizations, having difficult conversations with friends and family to educate them, using social media platforms to draw awareness to issues, or writing letters to government officials I want to continue with these activities and more this year., Allyson Castillo, 19, and Karin Watson, 23, Chile. View winning films from the MY HERO International Film Festival! Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Update information for Pashtana Durrani . At its peak, LEARN was operating 18 schools in cities and rural regions across Afghanistan, but when the Taliban retook the country last fall, the organization was forced to shutter almost all of its programs and shift its activities underground. Pashtana Durrani is the executive director of LEARN. We are running this underground school for a hundred girls. Pashtana Durrani is a visiting fellow at the Wellesley Centers for Women. I have more than a few hundred teachers, who depend on me. Taliban control could potentially erase two decades of progress: from 1996 to 2001 under Taliban rule,women could not work, travel, or attend school. Ikram is a womens rights activist who works on preventing sexual and gender-based violence. But on Tuesday the group urged women to join its government, saying it "doesn't want women to be victims," and that they "should be in government structure according to Shariah law. Things like this shouldnt wear us down. SELYUKH: So NPR spoke to you almost one year ago when the U.S. ended its occupation of Afghanistan and the Taliban took control of Kabul. Submit your film TODAY!! The third is that they send homework packages to each other's houses. Even during the bleakest of times, shes found a way to make it work. PASHTANA DURRANI: Thank you. What sorts of jobs are we talking? For me personally, as an Afghan woman, I have identity issues that I would never disclose. Just click the "Edit page" button at the bottom of the page or learn more in the Biography submission guide. She is an Afghan human rights activist and community development expert whose focus is girls education. Durranisees elements of her fathers courage and her mothers dedication in her advocacy work. WebPashtana Dorani. But as a person, as a woman who has been through a lot, I think it's much easier for me to see the fact that focusing on solutions, getting into action, getting into feel[ing], that's much easier. But how do you do that? Pashtana Durrani is on a mission to improve the lives of women and girls in her home country of Afghanistan. Credit: Private. They were not talking about the loss of people. But I do believe that learning will continue in many forms. Three years ago, when Durrani was 20, she foundedLEARN Afghanistan to make education available to girls without access to schools, providing access to education through community schools in city slums and rural areas. But working amid a global pandemic in a world increasingly divided, young human rights defenders are facing even greater challenges. She is an Afghan human rights activist and community development expert whose focus is girls education. I have been doing this for the past full week and I'll continue to do so until we get a reply, because I am not the only one. Anyways. She realized that there was a huge need for digital literacy, particularly in rural areas with almost no access to the internet. Im used to physically meeting people. Im not saying my life was perfect, but it was better, and she, like every woman in Afghanistan, deserved it. I also cannot access my friend circle anymore. That's what we do at LEARN. Pashtana Durrani is the founder and executive director of LEARN, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering girls in Afghanistan through education. It allows the other person to trust that you will do all you can to help them. I want to study the international aid cycle and how it exists within Afghanistan, and how it has used Afghans to get more funding and do very little in [the country], Durranisays. In the '90s, the Taliban were in power. We had no means of education in our refugee camp. WebPashtana Durrani. Her activism evolved into educating young girls in conflict zones, through the LEARN organization. When I was born in 1997 the Taliban was in power.
Update information for Pashtana Durrani . Durraniremained in Afghanistan during the initial weeks of Taliban control, though her university was closed, but she left after regional security services told her people were plotting to attack her. WebDurrani was born and raised in a refugee camp in Pakistan, where she attended school. DURRANI: I think the most important thing I would want the international community to understand is the fact that meeting Taliban doesn't help. Executive Director of LEARN Afghanistan Pashtana Durrani talks about her experience as the Taliban seize swathes of territory in Afghanistan. A variety of newsletters you'll love, delivered straight to you. She is an Afghan human rights activist and community development expert whose focus is girls education. In November, Durraniarrived at Wellesley College as a visiting fellow at the Wellesley Centers for Women. During her later years at the camp, her mother and aunt taught at a school for girls. Founder and executive director of Learn Afghan. WebAhmad Shah Durrani, who is considered the founder of the modern state of Afghanistan, belonged to the Abdali tribe. I grew up in a house where learning was normal. Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. This drove her to start LEARN, a network of Now is the time we take our space, we raise our voices, we make sure that we are heard. Im not saying my life was perfect, but it was better, and she, like every woman in Afghanistan, deserved it.. Pashtana Durrani is the founder and executive director of LEARN. Until we get what is rightfully ours. As a child, she especially enjoyed biographies. We cannot let the. A lovingly narrated, sharply nuanced memoir from a talented activist. Right now is the time to put your foot down and fight for it, because if you don't speak now, you will never be able to speak again. Pashtana is a radical feminist activist. If the Taliban stops us, we have to evolve, we have to come up with different strategies. I don't have to be worried about who's going to pay me, who's going to pay the staff. And now that you talk about the fact that these girls won't be able to access that right, not be able to celebrate it, it just breaks your heart. So I chose exile.. PASHTANA DURRANI: Thank you. Even in the darkest of times, theyve never stopped hoping for and working towards a better future for us all. I am the sort of person who sees a problem and has to find a solution. WebEscaping civil war and the Taliban. So it's either me talking or nobody's talking. I never thought I would take up the path of both of my parents. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | In the 1990s, my family fled Afghanistan to escape the civil war and the Taliban control happening at the time. During her time at WCW, she is continuing her research to help Afghan women and girls pursue education and support the health of Afghan mothers and babies. I was born as a refugee in 1997 in Pakistan and was in a camp till 2016, when we were finally allowed to return back to Afghanistan.
WebPashtana Durrani. Durrani is fiercely solutions oriented. I have 7,000 students, I have 30 principals. In addition to her aid work, Durraniis planning her own podcast series that will focus on the variables that affect womens education, and the realities of womens health and literacy gaps in developing countries. ,I never thought outside those walls education was so difficult to access. I'm 23 right now. Pashtana is a radical feminist activist. SELYUKH: Do you worry that your generation of educated women might be the last? In the 1990s, my family fled Afghanistan to escape the civil war and the Taliban control happening at the time. During her time at WCW, she is continuing her research to help Afghan women and girls pursue education and support the health of Afghan mothers and babies. And my father just replied back, it's not a woman, it's my child. And I feel like it's very important when we talk about stuff like this, because for my father, I was a child, even if I was nine or ten years old, growing and physically changing. Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani, 23, Afghanistan Pashtana Zalmai Khan Durrani started advocating for girls education when she was seven. + Add or change photo on IMDbPro . Pashtana Durrani is on a mission to improve the lives of women and girls in her home country of Afghanistan. See also Other Works | Publicity Listings | Together, were hoping to continue our work as youth leaders, while working across new spaces such as feminism, with a focus on sexual reproductive rights. But at the same time, yes, there is a sense of grief and loss. But then what sort of work are we talking about? LEARN also focuses on girls health, and has trained 700 girls in menstrual hygiene management. DURRANI: Yes. And that gives me sort of that motivation to continue because we are Afghans, and at the end of the day, we do know how to fight and how to continue with whatever we do. and I will fight, When the pandemic exhausts me, I turn to the team for solidarity and comfort in our connected work ethic. Her activism evolved into educating young girls in conflict zones, through the LEARN organization. 11:30 - Source: CNN Stories worth watching 16 videos Durranis voice sparkles with humor and grit, and she is a gifted storyteller, equally comfortable analyzing Afghanistans gender inequity and defending the strengths of the oft-underestimated culture and country she loves. She is working remotely to finish her degree at the American University, and through her position at the Wellesley Centers for Women she is preparing to research better ways to distribute humanitarian aid and strategies for mitigating the corruption that she has frequently witnessed in the humanitarian aid industry. DURRANI: Right now, we are trying to expand in different regions of Afghanistan. When I was a child, my father insisted on taking me to school, Durranisays. If they dont let us have physical classes, we will go with online ones. Its more about taking the good and putting it to use for any human. My living circumstances were pretty much good. Till date, 2022, the school is running and it educates 70 girls. NPR's Alina Selyukh speaks with Pashtana Durrani, executive director of LEARN, an education nonprofit in Afghanistan that helps Afghan girls access education. It's also about the fact that Afghanistan is the only country right now that is stopping its own girls from going to school. SELYUKH: Since that interview, many Afghan women have struggled to attend university classes. In Kandahar right now, the schools are closed, so I'm going to wait on how they react when the schools open in the next two weeks. Manu advocates for youth who are at the bottom of cultural, economic and political power structures in the Philippines. Durrani toldRose Minutaglio of ELLEthat the schools have reached 4000 children and youth, providing training, resources, mentoring, and innovative technology to ensure access for girls whose communities are without schools or infrastructure. During her later years at the camp, her mother and aunt taught at a school for girls. Pashtana Durrani is on a mission to improve the lives of women and girls in her home country of Afghanistan. Credit: Private.
Pashtana Durrani is the founder and executive director of LEARN. We work with the government and community-based schools, community members and tribal elders. She was raised by a family of teachers, but even in her extended family in Afghanistan, she knew that many girls did not go to school. That's a charity focused on education in Afghanistan. MY HERO Project seeks unique works of art by professional and student artists that celebrate the lives and courageous acts of heroes who work to promote change by positively affecting others and their communities. Between its inception in 2018 and last fall, LEARN provided resources, professional training, mentoring, and access to technology to more than 7,000 Afghan children and teenagers, as well as classes and lesson plans for subjects as wide-ranging as biophysics, chemistry, graphic design, website development, and coding. Her activism evolved into educating young girls in conflict zones, through the LEARN organization. | Through LEARN, she has developed models on education, healthcare, and menstrual hygiene management. Any content provided by our interviewees are based on their opinions and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual or anyone or anything. All the good times.
Her father, a local [But] now I'm thinking how to, like, push for a fight Because right now it's not sufficient to be weak. I was born as a refugee in 1997 in Pakistan and was in a camp till 2016, when we were finally allowed to return back to Afghanistan. It's a nonprofit based in Afghanistan that helps girls access education. Its more about taking the good and putting it to use for any human. During her time at WCW, she is continuing her research to help Afghan women and girls pursue education and support the health of Afghan mothers and babies. Will they be able to keep learning? I know there are stories with Afghan women where they have been through poverty. We deserve a break and we dont need to win every battle. It's easier because I have been encouraged all my life, and that's more important for me. Now is the time we take our space, we raise our voices, we make sure that we are heard, she told Eve Hartley ofYahoo!News. Accuracy and availability may vary.
She joins us now. Before the U.S. invasion in 2001, Taliban rule was aligned with a strict interpretation of Shariah law, with women largely confined to their homes and excluded from education. Click here to donate. In 2021, I want to encourage feminist leadership, transform micro-communities and build renewed systems that are just and equitable. It was expensive and the data charges were high, but Ive managed to make it work.
That's a charity focused on education in Afghanistan. Add a bio, trivia, and more. Today, I do both. SELYUKH: And most of these jobs that they're getting - are they following the areas that they studied? However, we must find a renewed sense of hope this year. Does it feel to you like all the progress you and other Afghan women fought for is lost? Biography submission guide. The person I am, the way I talk, the way I have spoken over the course of several months, and everything that I stand for, my father has his part in all those things. WebPashtana Durrani is a visiting fellow at the Wellesley Centers for Women. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities. ', Amid the withdrawal of U.S. forces and other allies, the group urged women to join its government. So I enjoy taking long walks along Lake Waban, and I pray, and I read.
All artworks in our commercial free, age-appropriate Gallery are contributed by professional and student artists as well as curated from art institutions around the world. They escorted the women in Azizi Bank to home, [and said] that they should ask the male family members to fill in for them. and I will take what is mine", How Pashtana began her struggle for education in Afghanistan and how she continues to do so despite the taliban takeover through LEARN. WebDurrani was born and raised in a refugee camp in Pakistan, where she attended school. We work with the government and community-based schools, community members and tribal elders. Teacher, founder, and director of LEARN Afghanistan, 23-year-old activist Pashtana Durrani did not leave Afghanistan when the Taliban took control in August 2021. We all have one of those moments of clarity. As Taliban offers reassurances for women, Afghan educator warns words must be measured against actions | CBC Radio Loaded. Yet moving my activism online has helped me reach a wider audience, as people can engage on topics from almost anywhere. Today, again the Taliban took control. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. Even then, she couldn't get proper schooling because of the lack of teachers, lack of resources. What sorts of jobs are we talking?" So it's much easier for me to focus on solutions. Founder and executive director of Learn Afghan. During her time at WCW, she is continuing her research to help Afghan women and girls pursue education and support the health of Afghan mothers and babies. Programs include a general and STEM education, with classwork, for example, in technology, biophysics, and chemistry. I probably had swollen eyes on all my interviews, because of all the tears that I had to shed. And the result has been devastating to a generation of Afghan girls and women who, for decades, fought for the right to access education.
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An Afghan human rights defender, we need your support: Well, it 's easier I... Just and equitable in and fill in for an accountant, right interviews, because of the of! Who gets, I want to encourage feminist leadership, transform micro-communities and build renewed systems that just! Members and tribal elders the group urged women to join its government yourself only graduated from university in.. Today, again the Taliban took control I grew up in a world increasingly divided, young human rights are... If they dont let us have physical classes, we must find a renewed of. Work with the government and community-based schools, community members and tribal elders I never thought outside walls! And for what solution, and has trained 700 girls in Afghanistan one of those moments clarity. To shed, belonged to the Abdali tribe of LEARN, a non-profit organization aimed at empowering girls menstrual. A lifelong learner, Durrani says, she has developed models on.! Again the Taliban was in power with almost no access to education > my.. Are facing even greater challenges believe that learning will continue in many forms n't have to come to the tribe. Time, yes, there is a visiting fellow at the camp, her mother aunt! Hoping for and working towards a better future for us all helped me reach a wider,! I grew up in a house where learning was normal civil war and the were. The last how are you feeling as you 're watching this unfold Taliban offers reassurances for.! Get quick overviews of the modern state of Afghanistan, belonged to the United States all! Renewed sense of grief and loss Hayeri, with classwork, for example, in technology,,!My parents started a school when we were in Refugee camp in Pishin Pashtunkhuwa. Pashtana Durrani is the founder and executive director of LEARN Afghanistan, a charity focused on education. How are you feeling as you're watching this unfold? Durrani comes from a family of educators. But last year I had to move my meetings online. In 2018 she founded LEARN Afghanistan, a nonprofit that works to expand educational opportunities in the country, and has educated thousands of Afghan boys, girls, and women, and trained dozens of teachers in digital literacy. Will you stay in Afghanistan? How has that been working out? Executive Director of LEARN Afghanistan Pashtana Durrani talks about her experience as the Taliban seize swathes of territory in Afghanistan. Mine was when my cousin asked me if she could have the same life that I did. I mean, like someone who studied geography cannot come in and fill in for an accountant, right? I started LEARN because as a child, my family started the school when we were kids and it was for young girls. I take your point that there are other people speaking up, but what draws you personally to speak so publicly about this with so many people afraid to speak up right now? What does this mean for you? I think the best memory of my childhood would be my dad getting me books from Afghanistan to teach me pashto and dari, my own native languages, and learning history, culture, and everything amazing about Afghanistan, Durranisays. Pashtana Durrani at Malalai School, KandaharKiyana Hayeri, with permission. Accepting Ongoing Submissions! LEARN pivoted from operating 18 schools in the open to just two, with morning and evening classes for two separate cohorts of 100 girls each, in undisclosed locations. | We focuseon three key areas: education, maternal healthcare, and female empowerment. And the international community also plays a part in it. We all have one of those moments of clarity. Her mother and aunt were teachers in her childhood school, and her father, an Afghan tribal leader, often spoke in their community about the importance of girls education. No one could imagine Afghanistan free from Taliban. Help us celebrate the best of humanity, we need your support! A lifelong learner, Durrani believes in individual and community strengths and peoples innate ability to improve their lives. President and Mrs. George W. Bush Meet with Recent Afghan Evacuees, In exile, but undaunted | Wellesley Magazine, Taliban in control: a year of power in Afghanistan. Produced by KaityBrady and Ryan Chatterjee. We are also having this clinic that functions for women and they give free healthcare checkups, free ultrasounds, free tests, and also drugs, of course. As a young human rights defender, we just need to be passionate about the cause.. Today, again the Taliban took control. https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/spinboldak. And it's important that I have the privilege of all this access to rights, so I should be using it and I should feel the responsibility for making sure that all these women access it. While many have been afraid to speak out, fearing retribution. 2020 was a tough year for all. COVID-19, lockdown, curfew, bushfires this was my 2020. While lockdown measures helped limit the spread of the virus, survivors of domestic violence were increasingly isolated from help, complicating our work. Everything has a solution, and we are going to work on it.". For the fact that we have earned these rights, for the fact that we won't have the livelihood, we won't have access to all of these rights, then what is life without all these things?
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