A Voice for the Voiceless

Yesterday, I was in New York with my family, having fun at my cousin’s place, playing on the PS5. It was a nice day until my friend Sarah called my mom’s phone from Afghanistan. She had some really sad news. At first, I tried to ignore it and keep playing, but I just couldn’t stop thinking about it. So, I went to the computer and started looking it up.

The Taliban are getting more and more mean every day. They’ve made a new rule where women can’t even talk in public anymore. Can you believe that? They say that women aren’t allowed to talk to men, not even shopkeepers. So, a man has to shop for them. And it’s not just women—girls who are older than nine can’t talk either. If I was in Afghanistan right now, I’d count as a woman, not a girl, because I’m 11. How crazy is that? Even as I’m writing this, I still feel sad.

But I know I can’t just sit around feeling sad. I want to do something about it. I want to raise my voice for all the girls and women in Afghanistan who can’t speak up for themselves. It’s hard, though. I have to focus on my schoolwork, my dream of becoming an astronaut and writing for you all. Sometimes it feels like too much. But then I think of my dad. He works 16-18 hours a day to care for us. Even though he’s so busy, he still makes time to talk to us, eat with us, and watch movies together. If he can do all that, I can do my part too.

I keep thinking about the Taliban leader who made this rule. Didn’t his mom talk to a doctor when he was born? I’m sure she did. So how can he say other Moms can’t do the same? It doesn’t make any sense.

But just writing this down isn’t enough. We can’t just talk about it and do nothing. We need to help. My sister is already doing something. She’s working with Afghan girls who make crafts. She brings those crafts to the U.S., sells them, and uses the money to help the girls get an education. I think that’s amazing, and I want to help too.

But I can’t do it alone. I need your help. Please share your ideas in the comments. Let’s figure out how we can make things a little better for the girls and women in Afghanistan. Mr. Will told me I should read your comments, so I will. Together, we can make a difference.