SOLA and Girl's Education in Afganistan

After watching the 60 Minutes’ video on SOLA and doing more research on the influence of Islam in Afghanistan, it really made me think about my own education and how much of it is taken for granted. SOLA is the first and only all-girls boarding school in Afghanistan, and despite the Taliban’s ban on girls’ education, they continue to find ways to educate.

Although I was raised in a non-religious household and attended Catholic school before coming to Govs, one of my siblings has converted to Islam, which has sparked some really interesting conversations. For example, we discussed how the Quran does not explicitly impose restrictions on women, meaning most gendered hadiths are based on cultural interpretations rather than madhhab, Islamic school of thoughts that provides a framework for understanding and applying Sharia law to various aspects of life. What I found especially fascinating is that while extremist Taliban views on education and leadership claim to be rooted in Islam, they actually contradict core interpretations of Sharia. The Taliban’s ban on girls’ education is less about religion and more about cultural traditions, particularly those tied to the Pashtun backgrounds of its leaders.

Hearing the personal stories told by Dr. Quimby and the girls, it made me reflect on my own family. My mother did not get much of an education growing up in Saigon after the Vietnam war; because of that, she always pushed me and my brothers to take our education seriously. Gender roles are shifting globally, and it’s only a matter of time before Afghan girls reclaim their freedom through transforming their education into power. 

From our previous women studies topics, we learned that educated women around the world earn higher incomes, marry later in life, and have fewer and healthier children. Part of SOLA’s mission is dependent upon educated women raising educated children that will fight against extremists. I am so fascinated at how SOLA has created and is now running a virtual curriculum via WhatsApp, connecting with 14,000 users to help them continue their education, despite the Taliban’s restrictions. After hearing about the connections between Govs and SOLA, in the near future, I really look forward to an opportunity to work and engage with SOLA.