Zuhal in front of the mirror

Zuhal Muhammadi envisions a different Afghanistan. She was born and she lives in the third largest city of the country.  In Mazar e Sharif of the province of Balkh.  From the time that she was still studying at the university, she was thinking that she could help Afghan society in order to change.  That she could mainly persuade women to feel stronger.  In recent years, he works at the Expressive Youth and Social Institution, making seminars and workshops empowerment of women and men in her city.

“I sat in front of the mirror and was trying to imagine myself as a delegate of my regional Council,” she says and continues, “I wondered, why I should not be a representative of people or a leader even, though I am also educated about it, but i am voting for someone else!  These thoughts, plus other things have motivated me to become an active citizen.  It was the moment when I realized that my skills could help to change my country. “

Zuhal Muhammadi is 24 years old and started her activity as an active citizen since she was 20 years old. She has participated in many empowerment workshops, programs and conferences that took place at the University of Balkh province.  At the university she studied in the faculty of Sharia.

“Situations are against us and it is really difficult to act or do more.  However, I am trying to play my part as a member of this society and no matter how those who oppose the changes see me,” she says.  Zuhal first started working with women, younger girls and groups in need. She created an institution in order to open a door empowering youth of the region and especially of women. She may have started her effort aiming to work mainly with women, but then men started participating in her seminars and now works at the Institute: “The Expressive Youth and Social Institution”. Both men and women are coming to the seminars, while the indulging Institute and other activities, however, the learning of the laws of Afghanistan, or the tree planting, the distribution of clothes and assistance to the children of poor families and Defending the rights of the Tribes Sayed and Sadat of Afghanistan.

“I’ve always thought about how to satisfy my parents so I have permission to distribute breakfast or Iftari for the Children of Saramiyasht (child protection) where children live without their parents and most of them have no family,” she says and continues: “The problem was that the Iftari should start in the evening, while I was supposed to be at home early in the afternoon.  At night it would be too dangerous for me to be on the road to return home. Fortunately, my mother, my sister and my brother helped me at night in my activities. “

Zuhal urges young people to participate in audiences.  To show their talent and assume their role in society.  Still, sometimes he gets frustrated. “There are times when I just want to walk or sit somewhere and enjoy the view of my city. But nothing seems happy to me.  You sit on a bench at the edge of the park and some men, mostly, stare at you all the time and try to give you their phone number written on a paper.  Then I wonder how I could represent these people at the local council of my district and how I can reconcile with them.  That’s when I land in reality and I can’t forget how I live in my city. “

By Sayed Ahmad Sadat