Brave Afghan woman fights for education for her compatriots in Germany!

Brave Afghan woman fights for education for her compatriots in Germany!

Afghan citizen Sabira Saei is an example of resilience and determination at a time when women in Afghanistan are facing drastic restrictions on their rights. In August 2021, the Taliban took power, which meant the end of employment and education for many women, including Sabira. She had previously worked for a social service run by the Jesuit order, but the regime ultimately forced her to flee her homeland. The dream of education for Afghan girls, which is close to Sabira's heart, has been severely threatened by social changes. In 2022, women were denied access to universities, which Natalie Bursinski from the DAAD described as unfair and reducing potential for the country. This sad reality motivated Sabira to take her fate into her own hands.

Sabira, a single mother of a four-year-old daughter named Helen, heard about the DAAD scholarship through social media and decided to apply. The first step was a nomination from a German university, which she received from three institutions. Ultimately she chose the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt. After an interview, she was allowed to study in Germany with the support of the Hilde Domin program. In April 2024 she finally managed to travel to Eichstätt with her daughter. There the KU found support in finding accommodation and provided Helen with a place in kindergarten.

A new life in Germany

Sabira is currently studying in her third semester and has settled in well. She appreciates the motivated fellow students and the helpful professors who make her everyday study life easier. Despite the challenges of starting school in a language other than English, she finds that she is coping well. Her focus is on expanding educational and freedom opportunities for Afghan women. Sabira plans to start a nonprofit business consultancy that will support women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.

The situation for women in Afghanistan is worrying. Since the end of 2022, there have not only been restrictions in the education sector, but also fears that the return to the Taliban could lead to a slow return to old patterns. The DAAD is active with initiatives such as the EFFAL program, which enables Afghan refugee women to study in countries such as Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan. The 180 students supported through this program show that the pursuit of education and equality continues, despite the adverse circumstances.

Education as the key to change

The challenges girls face around the world also affect women in Afghanistan. They often have to fight against social and cultural conventions that deem education less necessary. Early marriage and the lack of female teachers are just a few of the hurdles that make access to school education difficult. According to a World Bank report, girls in sub-Saharan Africa lose up to 20 percent of their time in school due to menstruation-related conditions. Similar conditions are often found in many refugee camps, where girls not only have to fight against social prejudices, but also against unsafe routes to school and hygienic deficiencies.

Sabira Saei is a symbol of hope for many. Your commitment to the education of Afghan girls and women could lay the foundation for a long-term change in the education system if the political situation in Afghanistan ever changes. With her unrelenting belief in the power of education, she sets an example that freedom and economic independence are attainable for women, even in difficult times.