When dreams go underground: a narrative of silent resistance in Afghanistan

In 2021, the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan and imposed a full ban on Afghan girls attending school beyond the primary level. Amid this crisis, some girls have sought alternative pathways to learning, including attending online schools. This narrative study explores the lived experience of one Afghan schoolgirl. Drawing on in-depth interviews and participatory methods, we trace her educational journey before and after the Taliban takeover, highlighting how her schooling opportunities changed, and how online schooling emerged as both a fragile opportunity for learning and a form of resistance to systemic disempowerment, silencing, and public erasure. Her story reveals how Afghan girls attribute intrinsic values to education as a source of identity, hope, and empowerment even when its instrumental outcomes remain uncertain. By situating the participant’s narrative within the broader context of Afghanistan’s gendered educational restrictions, we unmask the layers of her experiences, fears, hopes, and future aspirations.