Teaching Against the Odds
Farkhonda’s Fight to Keep Education Alive for Afghan girls
When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021, classrooms across the country fell silent. But for Farkhonda Mohsini, silence was not an option.
After completing her degree in India, Farkhonda returned to Kabul determined to use her skills to empower others. She became a lecturer and Head of the IT Department at Gawharshad University — a role that allowed her to teach young women how to navigate the digital world. “Teaching web development and networking to girls was deeply rewarding,” she recalls. “It wasn’t just about technology — it was about keeping hope and learning alive.”
When the Taliban closed universities to women, Farkhonda was forced to leave the country. She moved to Germany and joined the University of Education Freiburg, where she continued her mission as part of the Working Group Afghanistan. From there, she helped develop online courses that allowed Afghan girls to keep learning — even when they were banned from classrooms.
“As a female lecturer, I know what it means to fight for the right to education. I felt a personal responsibility to support, motivate and teach our students, even if it meant doing the minimum possible under such restrictions. Teaching was my way of resisting.” she says.
Her classes soon became more than lessons - they were lifelines. Students were eager, engaged, and proud of their work.
“Seeing their progress, their joy, their courage — it gave me strength and reminded me why education matters,” she says.
For Farkhonda, education is not only a tool for knowledge, it is an act of defiance, a bridge to freedom, and a way to remind Afghan girls that even in the darkest times, their voices and dreams still matter.
Who: SAIH
What: HER Initiative: Higher Education Response for Afghan Female Student
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