The trees had turned vividly green. A gentle breeze caressed her skin. Birds hopped from one lush, green branch to another. The sound of their calls filled her ears, and she felt a sense of peace—yet, in her heart, a storm raged on, continuous and relentless. She often thought she couldn’t go on, that she had no fervor left for life. But a voice within whispered: Maryam, you are strong. As long as you don’t surrender, no one can break you under the weight of oppression. You will never accept defeat. Every day, Maryam would look at the achievements she had fought so hard for, and tears would stream down her face. Yet, these were tears that gave her renewed strength, pushing her forward with even greater resolve. Her goal was clear: to achieve independence and to sprout, like a green shoot, from the very heart of her problems. But the conditions were brutal. Day and night, she looked to the heavens and poured out her heart to God, certain that a good future awaited her. Maryam never gave up her efforts. The more her adversaries created limitations, the harder she fought to reach her dreams. Her deepest wish was for her parents to one day stand tall and say, “Well done, my daughter! You succeeded in becoming a brilliant doctor and did not let our sacrifices be in vain.” This is the aspiration of every Afghan girl: to bring pride to herself and her family. What truly pained Maryam was that she was stuck in the eleventh grade, unable to continue her education because schools and universities were closed to girls. Maryam was disoriented, yet she never stopped learning. Sometimes, she felt cursed because every door she tried to open was shut in her face. Still, she had faith in her own abilities and knew that one day she would achieve her dreams—dreams like studying in Canada. She believed in that goal, but how?

From the day all classes were closed to girls, a pall of despair fell over them. Maryam was one of these girls. Initially, she didn’t leave the house for days. All her future aspirations had faded. But in a quiet corner of her heart, a tiny flame of hope remained, and that small spark gave her the power to endure. Maryam was always engaged in learning. She was fluent in English, and despite her young age, she taught the language to smaller girls—those who were still permitted to study up to the sixth grade—at various learning centers. One day, quite by chance, the principal of the Uranus Institute, a woman named Najla, informed Maryam of a golden opportunity. Najla knew Maryam was thirsty for such a chance. She introduced her to an organization that supported Afghan girls in taking the TOEFL exam. Anyone who scored high enough could continue their education abroad.

Maryam was overjoyed by this opportunity. She had one month until the test. She studied day and night, convinced this was her last chance.

Finally, the TOEFL exam arrived. Maryam was buzzing with excitement. She took the test online. She was anxious about her score; she desperately needed a high one. After the exam, she waited for the results. Maryam’s fateful date was June 1st.

When she received the email, her stress and worry intensified. She opened it, unable to look immediately. She was trembling. When her eyes finally fell on the score, they lit up—yes!

She had achieved an even higher score than she had hoped. She now had the choice to continue her education in France, Germany, Canada, or Turkey.

She chose Canada.

After finishing high school in Canada, Maryam was accepted into the medical program. She is now focused on her studies and is currently in her fifth semester of medicine.

She recently received a letter from her friend, Morsal, who wrote about the difficult conditions in Afghanistan and how unhappy she was. Reading the letter took Maryam back to the days when conditions were so tough and yet she persevered. It wasn’t easy; she overcame countless hardships: depression, anxiety, stress, and the oppressive pressure of society.

Maryam wrote back to Morsal:

“Never give up on your path. Have faith in your own capabilities, and do not let anything block you from reaching your goals. Perhaps one day, you will be the next Maryam.”