A Scholarship, a Visa, and the Race Against Time

Ms. Taman

I am a young Afghan woman who recently received a scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business administration at a university abroad. For me, this opportunity represents hope, a chance to continue my education, and the possibility of building a future that currently feels out of reach in my own country. Reaching this point has not been easy. I have already paid the required student visa fee, which cost about $800 USD. My family had to borrow money from relatives in order to cover this expense because they wanted to support my dream of continuing my education.

However, the journey does not end there. To leave Afghanistan and travel to my destination, I must first go to a neighboring country to complete the visa process and continue my travel. Because girls are not permitted to travel alone, my father must accompany me on this journey. The costs of travel, visas, and flights are significant, and arranging them in a short period of time has become one of the greatest challenges for my family.

The situation is extremely urgent. If I am unable to complete the travel process and arrive on time, I may lose this rare opportunity to study. For girls in Afghanistan today, access to education has become extremely limited. Many of us have been forced to watch our schools and universities close their doors to us. For this reason, the chance to study abroad represents one of the few remaining paths to continue learning and building a future. My story is only one among many. There are countless Afghan girls who still dream of studying, contributing to their communities, and creating better lives for themselves and their families.

Despite the obstacles, we continue to hold on to hope. Education remains our greatest aspiration and our strongest path toward dignity, opportunity, and change.

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* it is a pseudonym.