JSM - Edition Four

W ho A m I?

Who am I? I was born in 1997 into a family of five With a father called Zaiuddin and a mother called Tor Pekai I’ve always loved learning and I loved to go to school But the Taliban were always against those rules. My thirst for learning keeps creeping into my life My father is a teacher with a very knowledgeable wife The Taliban threatened me with their almighty power My life was becoming more and more dangerous by the hour The Taliban made rules to stop learning at this age It was becoming clear that my pencil was slipping of my page I pretended I was younger so I could go to school This was very dangerous, even my family thought I was a fool The Taliban where becoming stronger and stronger And my path to rights was becoming longer and longer But nothing could silence me, I still fought back But they kept pushing me down until I hit the dirt track One afternoon when I was on my way home The canvas cover lifted to reveal the sky dome A member of the Taliban shouted my name Three shots shattered the silence, but I was not afraid

My name spread across the country As the girl that stood up to education I was in newspapers and books I was becoming famous in my nation

Now I stand up for girls and women’s rights Because I often told myself do not give up the fight I have changed the world in a particular way So if you have education get on your knees and pray

G eorgie K ilmartin Y ear 5P

JSM Edition Four

Page 19