63. Do not turn your back on Afghanistan
All The Wiser
Kimi Culp
4.8 • 652 Ratings
🗓️ 2 March 2022
⏱️ 60 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Shabana Basij-Rasikh grew up in Kabul. Her parents dressed her up like a boy and sent her to secret school so that she could get an education, which under the Taliban was illegal for women. But Shabana had a dream, and while attending college abroad she founded the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA), Afghanistan’s only boarding school for girls. She has faced the Taliban’s recent resurgence with incredible determination - her forward-thinking saving the lives of hundreds of girls. Her hopeful message continues to inspire a vision for Afghanistan that is brighter than its past.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Shabana’s experience going to secret school.
- Her opportunity to come to the US as an exchange student.
- Co-fidning SOLA
- Burning the records of the students when the Taliban took over.
- The mission behind SOLA.
- Shabana’s hope for Afghanistan.
Stay connected to Shabana and her work:
Facebook: SBasijRasikh
LinkedIn: Shabana Basij-Rasikh
Twitter: @sbasijrasikh
SOLA
Facebook: Sola.Afghanistan
LinkedIn: Sola Afghanistan
Twitter: @solaafghanistan
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| 0:53.6 | It's about keeping |
| 0:54.4 | everything secure. I remember as we walk out of the house, the school principal, she would |
| 1:01.3 | remind us almost on a daily basis. Remember, as you walk out of the house, walk as fast as you can, |
| 1:07.3 | don't look back. If you are caught, take them to your house. Don't bring them here. |
| 1:11.6 | More people will be killed here. Less people will be killed there. It was a routine reminder that we |
| 1:16.9 | received. And we understood that. We made sense to us, too. |
| 1:22.3 | Getting an education as an Afghan girl growing up under the Taliban rule in the late 90s was dangerous business. |
| 1:31.3 | And this was because girls were simply not allowed to be educated, period. It was illegal. |
| 1:38.3 | Shabana Bessage-Rasik knew that attending secret school was a huge risk. |
| 1:46.6 | But her parents insisted she go regardless, |
| 1:54.9 | even going so far as to dress her up like a boy. And it was this act of bravery that 20 years later would set in motion a movement so profound that it would save the lives of hundreds of Afghan girls. |
| 2:03.0 | Up ahead on the show, I spoke with a remarkable woman |
| 2:06.3 | who has devoted her life against impossible odds to the education of girls. |
| 2:12.8 | I'm Kimmy Kulp, and this is All the Wiser. |
| 2:38.0 | Thank you. Meekulp, and this is All the Wiser. Let it go and let it in. Ooh. |
... |
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