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Shabana Basij-Rasikh: The dream of educating Afghan girls lives on | TED

In this deeply moving talk, educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh shares the harrowing story of evacuating more than 250 students, staff and family members from the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) — the country’s first and only all-girls boarding school — to Rwanda after the Taliban took power in 2021. An exceptional story of hope, resilience and…

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In this deeply moving talk, educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh shares the harrowing story of evacuating more than 250 students, staff and family members from the School of Leadership, Afghanistan (SOLA) — the country’s first and only all-girls boarding school — to Rwanda after the Taliban took power in 2021. An exceptional story of hope, resilience and dreaming big for future generations of Afghan girls — and a challenge for the world to not look away.

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74 Comments

74 Comments

  1. NicholsZiegler

    December 3, 2021 at 8:17 pm

    Digital technologies can make virtual schools for girls.

    • Ro Ro

      December 3, 2021 at 9:13 pm

      Here is no internet and not electricity and people doesn’t money to feed how they perches internet 😔

  2. Plen122

    December 3, 2021 at 8:17 pm

    Excellent!! Educated young women everywhere is a huge necessity. And thank goodness for President Joe Biden for finally ending the war there in afghanistan.

  3. Alex Read

    December 3, 2021 at 8:20 pm

    I notice a need to control through religion, beliefs, education, information, fear. Is understanding what ‘you’ know tantamount to physical wealth? Ignore other possibilities. Blame continuously

  4. Vance H

    December 3, 2021 at 8:21 pm

    Truth, Love and Peace for All.

  5. Abusemtex

    December 3, 2021 at 8:28 pm

    Why not educate afghan boys?

    • Ro Ro

      December 3, 2021 at 9:14 pm

      Yeah

    • Helen Ivanova

      December 3, 2021 at 9:14 pm

      Ask Taliban about education for boys.

    • Ro Ro

      December 3, 2021 at 9:19 pm

      @Helen Ivanova they boys can do educations only girls 👧 do not allowed for education

    • K Mall4

      December 3, 2021 at 11:26 pm

      The west should not waste any more time and money on this. We need to educate and take care of our own people. Vets are committing suicide daily. Nothing against this woman but we tried and failed to help that country.

  6. Abdulrahman

    December 3, 2021 at 8:35 pm

    Hypocrisy is profoundly used by the western governments. Killing and removing Head’s covering of Muslim women in France, then asking now for education in Afghanistan. You (U.S and Europe) are the reason of misery not the solution.

  7. Donald Auguston

    December 3, 2021 at 8:36 pm

    I wish you all the good fortune in the world, but I doubt you’ll be able to go back. Just go forward and help make life better for woman everywhere else. Afghanistan will only become worse under the Taliban, and they will not be vanquished. It’s sad.

  8. Jan Klaas

    December 3, 2021 at 8:37 pm

    🇺🇳12:41 I won”t look away

  9. Awesomely Sarcastic

    December 3, 2021 at 8:39 pm

    TED speaker: there’s hope for Afghanistan’s girls.

    Reality: if they all move to another country, yes.

  10. Harrison James Leake

    December 3, 2021 at 8:47 pm

    Ok, I won’t look away, but I’m pretty sure the only thing that will achieve is the witnessing of death, nothing else.

  11. MyLinda1983

    December 3, 2021 at 8:55 pm

    Iam really so sad for them, hope one day things could change

    • Ro Ro

      December 3, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      We hope still all my sisters at home no education nothing for girls and women 😔

  12. Helen Ivanova

    December 3, 2021 at 9:16 pm

    My greatest respect for this woman! Wish all her dreams came true.

  13. Ro Ro

    December 3, 2021 at 9:18 pm

    I still living in Afghanistan 🇦🇫 Girls still do not have the right to work in offices and are all barred from going to university and schools, All the girls and women in my country are depressed and looking to a future where there is no hope.

  14. Ahmed AL jabri

    December 3, 2021 at 9:26 pm

    Wow. Keep going

  15. sh sh Haliti health and beauty chanel world new

    December 3, 2021 at 9:51 pm

    WE ALL HAVE OUR FAMILY AND YOU ARE MOM ONLY TO YOUR CHILDREN. ALLAHU AKBAR 🕋

  16. 118_Malalai Ahmadzai

    December 3, 2021 at 9:56 pm

    We will rise dear🇦🇫.

  17. sh sh Haliti health and beauty chanel world new

    December 3, 2021 at 10:02 pm

    THERE ARE TEACHES ALL AROUND THE WORLD WE CHOOSE ON OUR OWN WHERE WE ARE GOING TO STUDY. ITS NOWHERE WRITTEN THAT YOU ARE THE BEST ONE. 😀📖📚📙📘📗📓📒📒📔📃📑📰🗞📄💳🔖📗💼📁📂🗂📅📆📩📨📦✏🗳📭📮📝🗓🗒📇📈📉📊📋📐📏🖇📎📍📌🗃🗄🗑🗿🎼⌨🎞📺📷💿🖥🔌🖨📀📸📽🎞🎥📹📼🔍🔎🔬🔭📡

  18. VGRNAl

    December 3, 2021 at 10:05 pm

    excellent video

  19. English IELTS

    December 3, 2021 at 10:56 pm

    ✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️

  20. muskan verma

    December 3, 2021 at 11:11 pm

    Wow!! What a resolute lady she is!!! She still has a silver ray of hope…. We should learn from these kind of ladies…..🌺🌺🌺💪

  21. Dimitar

    December 3, 2021 at 11:39 pm

    Galatians 4:16

  22. jon dee

    December 4, 2021 at 12:19 am

    Really difficult and emotive talk. Thanks for sharing what you could this is a side of Afghanistan and many other places that needs to be known.

  23. sea bird

    December 4, 2021 at 12:49 am

    I haven’t seen any single thing good than Islam did on Earth yet, any single thing …. Period !
    I haven’t seen any single thing good than Religions did on Earth yet, any single thing …. Period !

  24. Takeru Hoshino

    December 4, 2021 at 12:53 am

    why does Afgan keep their onw culture on this way even though all Afgans’ mom must follow dark life?

  25. masomah nejati

    December 4, 2021 at 1:19 am

    Proud of you ❤

  26. Darrin

    December 4, 2021 at 1:42 am

    The Afghanistan 🇦🇫 Army ran with their tail between their legs 10 minutes after the USA left. Sooooooo disappointing

  27. Ruth Pellegrini

    December 4, 2021 at 1:46 am

    Just imagine if the strength and wisdom of the Trump administration was instead calling the shots. She could have stayed and done so much more for so many more girls. The world has become a mess and we will be picking up the pieces for years.

    • Ahmed Shaban

      December 4, 2021 at 9:37 am

      Do you have a suggestion to solve the problem?

  28. aron turøy

    December 4, 2021 at 1:59 am

    Kudos 👍

  29. Usman Edits

    December 4, 2021 at 2:13 am

    Great women

  30. Linto Anil

    December 4, 2021 at 4:17 am

    🥺🥺🥺it literally made me cry whn the records were burned i hope the day come soon when every girl in afghan will get right to learn and fulfill there dream one day

    • Kooukkie

      December 5, 2021 at 1:27 am

      I cried too. I hope so too and that the Taliban goes extinct asap.

  31. Daniel and Kayaan

    December 4, 2021 at 4:33 am

    Proud of you ❤️😔

  32. sakib hasan

    December 4, 2021 at 6:27 am

    Speech is fabulous

  33. nahimuddin hashimi

    December 4, 2021 at 6:46 am

    I proud of you

  34. Mussa Korom

    December 4, 2021 at 6:52 am

    incredible speech, but what woman? all my tributes🙏

  35. Mariam Topadze

    December 4, 2021 at 8:09 am

    I dont understand why taliban inslaves women whats in it for them? What is behind this nonsense ? Its hard to believe that problem is in religion how can religion be so unethical isnt faith about ethics?

    • December 4, 2021 at 2:03 pm

      Because it’s not the religion. They are just using it since it’s the only thing that unites the tribes over there. Without it, there would be more divisions among them.

  36. Ish Rendon

    December 4, 2021 at 8:31 am

    The taliban were never gone. I dont mean to sound like the downer here but im a realist. The reason the taliban are back amd not the US or nato back government is because the taliban had local rural support and werent corrupt like the Us and nato back government pr the puppet regime they installed same mistake the US made in Vietnam and seemed to not learn you cant rig someone to win when they have no support of the people. Its not wonder the people Afghanistan literally welcomed the taliban without putting up a fight because theyre the afghan people theyre the mujahideen fighting against the non islamic imperial forces trying to change there culture. I know you may not agree with it but again it doesn’t matter as an outsider your opinion is useless. We are not colonial powers anymore (i hope we dont go back to those days) we can go in guns ablazing and try to coerce others to be like us and think like us that is very much imperialism and im sure if any of your nations were invaded by a foreign power you would resist them trying to impose there values on you. Its natural to resist. Its about looking at the whole picture amd seeing the world not as black or white of course us westerners think we’re right and have high morals. The taliban think that as well both sides of amy conflict think theyre right ,morality is subjective. Also she is clearly not from the vast rural society she is from the city funny how they never address the rural people who mostly supported the taliban.. again you have to look at the whole picture. This talk about educating girls and all this nonsense is a cop out. Btw all the funds that were supposed to be used to build girls schools were quite coincidentally finding there ways in the pockets of politicians and not being invested in schools for girls. Loke wtf is she talking about i have to wonder has she eve been to Afghanistan. Ive seen this crappy schools and the crappy teachers they hire . These teachers are mainly illiterate!!!!!!

  37. Sakshi Makkad

    December 4, 2021 at 10:49 am

    Thank you,Shabana

  38. Pro Lala

    December 4, 2021 at 12:10 pm

    I don’t what she is talking about ? Dust what ? Western countries have given billion billions dollars to warlord Corrupted governments and didn’t build a secure school for girls they didn’t provide Secuirty for the women to work to go to school women . Women were used sexually in every field .women can’t stand alone on the road . Today there is no one to misbehave with women because of Taliban . Villages were boomed did you tell about those women ? School were bombed Religious school were boomed Clinics were boomed . There are women which they lost their loved one they have children and no one is there is help why don’t tell them that their government helped the wrong people in our country . Today Taliban are saying Gave us some time to provide all Facilities and then we allow the girls to go to school and work and do their business . Mazar e sharif women working in shops under the role of Taliban say something about that .

  39. Pro Lala

    December 4, 2021 at 12:32 pm

    Invite Gulbadin Hikmyar invite Abdul Qahar Bakhi to talk about Afghanistan ? Please please invite the new rollers of Afghanistan let’s hear it from them little too .

  40. Sharon Fisher

    December 4, 2021 at 2:21 pm

    Deep bows to her vision 🙏

  41. Reema Gul Sha Ali khan

    December 4, 2021 at 2:34 pm

    Welcome to join with us 👍❤️❣️❤️❣️❤️❣️ it’s so Amazing

  42. Mr. C

    December 4, 2021 at 3:06 pm

    And yet, she advocates for the belief system that is the “Quran”. WTF?

    • A P

      December 4, 2021 at 11:44 pm

      Because it’s a guide to life and also the “quran” teaches to speak in a good manner and be respectful regardless.

    • Shine Bright

      December 5, 2021 at 9:45 am

      Because this book has more wisdom than anything else. Stupid thing to blame religion when all trouble because of people

    • Mr. C

      December 6, 2021 at 2:35 am

      @A P
      If you say so….🤔🧐

  43. OhFishyFish

    December 4, 2021 at 3:17 pm

    Removing valid comments, well done Ted. This is why people are sick of woke movement and vote right.

  44. TangyLid

    December 4, 2021 at 4:56 pm

    Good luck. You’re gonna need it.

  45. MìGói

    December 4, 2021 at 6:04 pm

    Goodjob! THANKS

  46. Edris 4067

    December 4, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    👌👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

  47. SALMON king

    December 4, 2021 at 7:27 pm

    I liked this speech

  48. Bradley Atherton

    December 4, 2021 at 11:40 pm

    Protect and support this woman at all costs.

  49. Kooukkie

    December 5, 2021 at 1:16 am

    I luv her. She is a gift to this earth and especially those young girls.

    “But what I was certain of, was that I would not sit passively by and let that road lead me.” Incredible woman

  50. ANIT K. BRAHMA

    December 5, 2021 at 6:59 am

    Personally, can do nothing to help the Afghan people. Honest and Pathetic speech. I feel pity for them.

  51. Reem Haj Ali

    December 5, 2021 at 9:13 am

    ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  52. Reem Haj Ali

    December 5, 2021 at 9:19 am

    This is the most inspiration thing that I would ever hear :

    -When you face the uncertainty of what might be,you can turn it into of the certainty of what will be,you will find yourself in something new and different , adapting and succeeding.
    And sometimes , you will know that you have left a light on to help you find your way home .

    -We have planted roots that can never be destroyed

  53. Shine Bright

    December 5, 2021 at 9:52 am

    Strong woman. I cannot help but i wish everything would be better . I hope they can live better. It is nonsense to fight with education when it is good thing. Religion proverb that education is essential. But goverment😔

  54. Lill Kristin Hermansen

    December 5, 2021 at 10:52 am

    Make box

  55. df julesful

    December 5, 2021 at 1:22 pm

    SOLA reminds me of the Irish word solas meaning light and I think that’s more than apt for what this school does

  56. Liseyas Sanchase

    December 5, 2021 at 1:32 pm

    Paying to have a good name.

    In Sweden, we have licensed costume-clad thieves who get involved in politics and have debt collection, claims, parking companies to loot the people. They create frustration to get into people’s wallets. They come up with new rules and systems just to confuse and spread stress and to kill joy among the people to lead people to suicide. Joy and security have no place in the country, it is materials and money that everyone must think about and they use as bait. That’s why we have the most suicidal people in the world. Such sick psychologists, racist politicians and administrative workers we have here that do not exist even in the world’s most corrupt countries.

  57. Javeria Shafique

    December 5, 2021 at 3:31 pm

    Within deep narrative, why this woman is trying to convey that Talibans is not allowing girls to study, despite of the references which whole world is seeing, in the form of university pictures, where there are girls equal to boys. I can’t say anything on Talibans’ last rule but for now they are allowing every single girl to study in the limitations of Islam, which are also for male muslims in some other ways according to their gender needs.

  58. Somdeep Kundu

    December 6, 2021 at 10:28 am

    This is call Teacher❤️

  59. freedom thinking

    December 6, 2021 at 10:43 am

    I am from Afghanistan and my dream daid i have no any idea why i grow up in borne in Afghanistan

  60. Shegofa Ahmadi

    December 6, 2021 at 5:02 pm

    So proud my country’s women.

  61. ZH K

    December 6, 2021 at 10:29 pm

    I will study for you, promise.

  62. Ameg

    December 7, 2021 at 5:14 pm

    🤮🤮🤮lame western propaganda, give Afghanistan their funds so they can at least eat and get their economy back, she clearly does not represent the majority of Afghan women and was paid very well to come here to the pity party, they need their money not your pity.

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