Sadaf Barekzai (12) was named Rising Star of the Month for March. She received this award due to her decision to continue her education despite boundaries and her growth as a student at the school. Recently, the Falconer spoke with her and gained insight into what receiving this award means to her and learned more about her journey.
How did it feel to receive this award?
“It feels so good because it’s my first time. [I feel] very happy at this moment [because] it feels like freedom, as there’s no freedom for women in Afghanistan.”
How did you manage to and have continued learning despite boundaries?
“In Afghanistan, my education was not good. There were no options for good schools or studying. When the Taliban came, I moved to Afghanistan. There was a lot of discrimination. The Taliban don’t like freedom for girls. They just want women to sit at home and do nothing else. I worked hard, I studied a lot and I got a lot of help from my teacher.”
What has been the hardest part of adjusting to a new school system?
“The hardest part has been [learning the] language, because this is my second language. There were different subjects and teachers in Afghanistan. When I came here, I understood English but not too much.”
Who in your life has inspired you to continue to push through difficult challenges?
“My father and my mom have always supported me no matter what. In Afghanistan, some families are not [supportive] and [children] get married at 12 years old. My family is so open-minded and all my family wants me to study.“
What are some moments during this year where you have felt particularly proud of yourself?
“I’m proud of myself because my English has been improving, I’ve been studying hard, my grades are good and I understand everything. At first it was hard because I wasn’t able to understand a lot or talk a lot in English.”
What enabled you to succeed academically in a new environment?
“I get a lot of support from my teachers.”
What is one piece of advice you have to students who are experiencing a similar journey to yours?
“Everything was hard and didn’t come easy to me. You need to work hard. If you do not, nothing will come easy.”
What are some of your goals moving forwards?
“I want to explore more topics [of study].”
