The cost of hope: what it takes for two young Afghans to keep their dream Alive!
My name is Omul Banin Hashimi. I am a 20-year-old woman from Kabul, Afghanistan a country where dreams have become acts of resistance, especially for girls.
Before the Taliban takeover, I dedicated my life to social work and community service. I worked with girls’ rights defenders, supported children’s rights, and stood alongside young girls who believed education was their only way forward. When the doors of schools closed for girls in Afghanistan, a part of my own future was locked away with them.
In 2023, amid uncertainty and fear, I met my husband, Muhammad Zarif Abrahimi, a 22-year-old social activist from Kandahar. Like me, he devoted his youth to serving his community, working for social development, supporting vulnerable families, and believing that change begins with education. We got married in 2024, not only as partners in life, but as partners in purpose.
Today, by a rare miracle of hope, we have both received official offers from a university in France. This opportunity is more than an academic admission, it is a lifeline. It is a chance to continue our education, to grow our knowledge, and to one day return and serve Afghanistan with stronger voices, stronger skills, and stronger impact.
But hope comes with a heavy cost.
The total amount required for tuition and basic living expenses is 15,000 euros — an impossible sum for two young Afghans who come from a country shattered by conflict, economic collapse, and displacement. Our families have given everything they can. There is nothing more left to sell, borrow, or sacrifice.
We are not asking for charity. We are asking for belief.
Belief in a young Afghan woman who refused to surrender her voice.
Belief in a young Afghan man who chose service over silence.
Belief that education can still rebuild what war has destroyed.
If we are able to study, we promise this: we will not forget where we come from. We will return our knowledge to the people who need it most especially Afghan girls whose futures are being erased before they begin.
Your support, no matter the amount, is not just helping two students. You are protecting hope, defending education, and investing in Afghanistan’s future.
From the depths of our hearts, thank you for standing with us when the world turned away.
With gratitude and hope,
Omul Banin Hashimi and Muhammad Zarif Abrahimi
Acceptance Letters Below
