Laila's name has been changed to protect her safety.
In 2021, Laila had just finished Grade 9 in Afghanistan when the Taliban banned girls from school. For two years she stayed home, reading every book she could find and teaching herself about the power of the mind.
Then she decided waiting wasn't enough. She studied English late into the night, and every night she asked herself, "So what? It should have an impact for someone." So she began teaching English to other girls in secret, hiding their books and leaving class at different times to stay safe.
Today Laila is studying in Canada. This fall she applied to university to study psychology, so she can one day help Afghan women and girls.
When we started working together, Laila thought her story was ordinary. Over our calls, she began to see what I saw: a young woman who turned the hardest years of her life into a way to lift others up. "I've never thought about that," she told me. "It helps me put each piece of the puzzle together."
That is what this coaching does. It doesn't write a student's story for her. It helps her see her story, and tell it with confidence.
Your donations covered part of Laila's coaching, and I gave the rest of my time. I want to be able to say yes to the next young woman like Laila without hesitating.
Will you help me reach her?
With gratitude,
Tasneem