Mursal's Voice for Change | Column 1

I am called Mursal, an Afghan girl who is twenty years of age. The age of twenty holds a special meaning to me, while it seems an ordinary number to the world. For me, it is the age of dreaming, writing, and working hard to build a brighter future for myself. It is the age at which I feel responsible to play a role in my society. As a girl from Afghanistan, the age of twenty does not feel the same as it does for others. In this age, my life is filled with thoughts, responsibilities, and goals which I must reach, no matter how difficult the path is. I am not only concerned about my own life but also always worry about the situation in my country and my family who are living there. I always think of them,wondering whether they are safe or not. 

When I look at girls who are the same age as me, I notice so many differences. Students from other countries experience a bit of an easier life. They attend universities with peace of mind. They live freely, and have the right to study. Getting education is an ordinary part of their life, and they are not restricted because of their gender. I do not say that life is without effort for them; every student works hard and faces challenges, but at least they do not have to fight for the right to study or the right to live freely.  

For me, as an Afghan girl, life is different. I can never study with  complete peace of mind. I left my family, friends, and my homeland behind just to get education. I came to Pakistan in 2024 but I still struggle to get used to living here. My soul is still in my own country. Whenever I open a book or I want to do an assignment, my mind gets stuck between my studies and thinking about my family. I constantly ask myself; are they safe? Are they at peace? Because the situation in my country cannot be predicted. Things can change in seconds, and the only thing I can do is pray and hope for their well-being. 

My university life feels harder because when I try to study, I remember those girls in Afghanistan, living behind closed doors, unable to continue their education. These things make my mind filled with chaos and anxiety and I feel guilty about being able to study while they cannot.

I am not the same as other girls my age because whenever my classes end, I come to the library instead of going out or spending time with friends. I sit quietly and think about what I can do for the girls of my country. Then I just start writing and sending my articles to different media inside and outside Afghanistan. Writing is always the only way that gives me courage and hope. I sit for hours and hours just to write articles and raise the unheard voice of Afghan girls to the world.

I give most of my time to my studies because I believe that education is power and power is freedom. I know that it is only education that can help me build my future. Whenever I finish a book or learn something, I feel that I have taken  one step forward towards building a brighter future and raising the unheard voices of the girls of my country. 

Yes, twenty is a great stage of life, but I experience it very differently. Since my childhood, my life has been full of struggles because I was born in Afghanistan, and life has never been easy for an Afghan girl, no matter how old she is. I am still living a life which is full of study, reflection, writing, dreams, loneliness of exile, and endless love for my family and homeland. My days are harder, my mind is not always at peace, and my life is full of loneliness. Living far away from my parents, siblings and all my friends is the most difficult part of my journey, but I accept all these struggles because every moment is precious for me. With every page I read, with every sentence I write, I believe that I raise the voices of the girls of my country and give hope for their future. What I am struggling with is being the voice of my people through the words I write. 

I have a dream of going back to my country if the situation changes, and I hope that when that day comes, I will see girls with books in their hands, with hearts full of hope, and eyes full of confidence. I hope that I will see girls walking freely through the streets of Kabul, laughing without fear, living without restrictions, and most importantly, I hope for a day that all girls will be able to get education there. On that day, when I see the smiling and happy faces of the girls of my land, I will realize that my words, my writings, my struggles and my silent prayers have not been wasted, and the hope that I always carried alone became a shared hope, lighting the way for next generations. 

I hope this dream comes true, and one day, all the girls of my country will live their lives as they want, and get what they really deserve.