The Courage to Keep Learning

There are stories that remind us why welcome matters. For many in the Women of Welcome community, the fall of Afghanistan in 2021 was not just a headline; it was personal. We watched as Afghan allies, students, and families who had spent years building relationships with Americans suddenly found their futures uncertain. We prayed, advocated, and wondered what would happen to the women and girls whose freedoms were disappearing overnight.

Kaia is one of those young women.

Today, she is a college student in the United States, studying political science and building a future she once feared had been taken from her forever. But just a few years ago, she was a teenage girl in Afghanistan watching the world around her change in a single afternoon.

Her story is one of courage, resilience, and an unwavering belief that the support of a community can change lives.

A Dream for Education

Growing up in Afghanistan, Kaia discovered early that education could open doors. When she was in fifth grade, she began studying English, motivated by the opportunity to connect with people beyond her country.

“I was very interested in learning English,” she recalls. “There were some American women through humanitarian organizations, and I heard so many nice things about them. I was eager to know about their culture and have a way of talking with them.”

She dedicated herself fully to learning. Every day she walked 40 minutes to school, and then another 40 minutes to attend English classes. “I did that because I was very dedicated to my education, and I believed I was going to have a future,” she recalls.  By ninth grade, she had completed her English program and was fluent enough to begin teaching younger students.

At the time, life felt normal. “My family didn’t have a good economic condition, so I was studying and looking for work,” she says. “But I had a lot of freedom. I could go outside, study, and spend time with my friends.”

That freedom would soon disappear.

The Day Everything Changed

In August 2021, Kaia was a high school student sitting in class, taking a midterm quiz, when the news began to spread. “We heard that a lot of other provinces were taken over by the Taliban,” she says. “We heard they were really close and that they were going to come to the place where I grew up.” The teacher dismissed the class early.

“It was a very painful day for us,” she remembers. “It was clear that when the Taliban took over, the biggest victims would be girls. We would no longer have the opportunity to go to school or have our freedom.”

That day would become the last day she ever attended school in Afghanistan. “We said goodbye to our classmates, crying.” After U.S. troops left the country, it wasn’t long before the Taliban had taken control.

The atmosphere changed overnight. “I remember the night the Taliban took over,” Kaia says. “Before that, the city was full of lights and so beautiful. That night, no one dared to turn on the lights in their house. People were very scared.”

Within weeks, girls were banned from school. Her brothers returned to class. She could not. “I started texting my friends. Every day, we had hope that maybe they would change it. But that dream never came true.”

Living Without Freedom

At first, Kaia tried to continue learning on her own. She borrowed books from the library and read at home. But even that small freedom disappeared.

“They closed the library because they said many girls were gathering there and studying, and they said it was against Sharia law,” she says. “I think that is not true. A lot of Islamic countries have schools. They are using religion as an excuse.” Life became a kind of confinement.

“Every day I felt like I was in prison, only staying at home. It was not the life I lived before. My life would just be wasted like this.” She thought about the years she had spent working toward her future. “It was so painful that I worked so hard, but they took all my dreams.”

But Kaia was not ready to give up.

Teaching in Secret

In 2022, she returned to the place where she had once studied English. There she began teaching English to girls who were no longer allowed to attend school. “Teaching was hope for me,” she says. At first, universities and some educational programs were still open for women, giving girls a small reason to believe things might improve.

But in 2023, the Taliban closed universities and language centers to women as well. Kaia and her colleagues refused to stop. “We started teaching secretly through villages,” she says. Classes were carefully arranged to avoid suspicion. “We used three locations with the same students at different times so we would not draw attention. It was really scary to hide from neighbors.”

Every day, she walked with her books and markers, afraid someone might stop her. “Every day, I was very scared. What if someone stops me?” Now, looking back, she reflects on the risk. “The government was against you,” she says quietly. “It was so dangerous.” 

Eventually, the danger became real.

Forced to Flee

One day, Kaia received a call from her brother. “There are people in front of the house asking for your name,” he told her. “They want to talk to you.” Her brother warned her not to come home. “I had no clue where I was going,” she remembers. She walked for two hours to a friend’s house and hid there for several days before traveling to Kabul. For two months, she remained in hiding.

With financial help from an American couple she had connected with, she was eventually able to leave Afghanistan and travel to Pakistan with her sister. But life in Pakistan brought a new kind of fear. “A lot of girls alone in Pakistan have been raped, forced to marry, or have committed suicide,” she says. “I was always thinking something like that could happen to me.” She often stood on the balcony of the apartment where she was staying, crying.

One day, she watched a refugee family walking down the street. “My sister told me they were going to the United States,” she says. “No matter where they were, they were together as a family.” She wondered if she would ever have that kind of safety.

A Life-Changing Opportunity

While in Pakistan, Kaia met an American who needed help translating for a family. He connected her with an organization helping students seek educational opportunities in the United States. The organization’s leader saw her academic record and English skills. “They told me my GPA was high and my English was excellent,” she says. “They said America needs people who are educated and want freedom.”

The scholarship they offered would change everything. Soon afterward, she interviewed at the U.S. embassy in Islamabad. At the same time, police were looking for her. “My sister called and said police came searching for you,” she says. “My visa in Pakistan was expired. They could deport me.”

When she finally received her visa, it felt like a miracle.

A New Beginning

Kaia arrived in the United States and moved in with an American host family. “They are like a second family to me,” she says. She began high school in San Francisco and worked tirelessly. “I loved my school, and my teachers helped me a lot. Most of the time, I stayed until 6:30 doing extra math.” Her hard work paid off. She graduated with a 4.3 GPA.

During her time in high school, she ran cross country, sang in choir, learned guitar, served as a student ambassador, and started a club for intercultural understanding where students could share their cultures. Today, she is a college student studying political science. “I started college on January 25—my birthday,” she says. She is still deciding whether to continue in political science or pursue business or economics.

A Different World

Adjusting to life in the United States has taken time. Simple things like grocery shopping and classroom communication felt unfamiliar. “Finding friends is not as easy,” she says. “In Afghanistan, people would just show up.” She laughs and adds, “The author of The Kite Runner said it is enough to put two Afghans in a room for one hour and they will find the connection. That’s true.”

But she has also experienced incredible generosity. “There were so many Americans who showed love and support to me.”

Looking Ahead

Kaia dreams of one day writing a book about her life. “I want to show Afghanistan, the beauty of its culture, and also the help I got from Americans.” More than anything, she hopes to help women and children. “Politics and religious decisions often sacrifice women and children,” she says. “I hope one day I can help them.”

She also dreams of becoming a role model. “I always wanted to be a role model for other women and girls,” she says. “They need to believe in themselves.” And she believes deeply in the resilience of Afghan girls. “When one door closes, girls are knocking on another door,” she says. “Afghan girls are very strong and dedicated.”

Still, uncertainty remains. Her student visa is valid for four years, and she hopes her asylum request will be accepted so she can remain in the United States. “I hope people in America don’t define Afghans by the Taliban,” she says. “Afghans come here because they respect the culture and want to follow the laws.”

Why Her Story Matters to Women of Welcome

For the Women of Welcome community, Kaia’s story is deeply personal.

Many in our community have advocated for Afghan allies who were left vulnerable after the U.S. withdrawal. We believe welcoming refugees is not only a political issue. It is a reflection of compassion, justice, and faith. Kaia represents the courage of so many Afghan girls who refuse to give up on education and hope, even when systems of power try to silence them.

Her future, however, remains uncertain. Like many refugees and asylum seekers, she faces questions about her long-term ability to remain in the United States and build the life she is working so hard toward.

As a community, we want her to know she is not alone. We want to show her love, compassion, and welcome. And we want to stand with her as she continues building the future she dreamed of when she first began walking 40 minutes to school as a fifth grader. Kaia asks that we pray for: her education, and for opportunities to serve others (she is looking for an internship this summer).

Standing With Kaia

Kaia has already accomplished something remarkable. Through extraordinary effort and academic excellence, she earned significant scholarships and the opportunity to study in the United States. But like many young immigrants rebuilding their lives, her future still carries uncertainty. Her student visa is temporary, and she continues navigating the complex path toward long-term stability and safety.

(Members of our private group have the opportunity to stand with Kaia by donating to her scholarship fund. If you are not a member of our private Facebook group, request access today.)

What she hopes for most is simple: the chance to continue her education and one day use it to help others.

Her story reminds us that behind every asylum seeker headline is a person with dreams, courage, and determination. It also reminds us that welcome is not just about policy. It is about people choosing compassion.

For the Women of Welcome community, Kaia’s journey is a powerful reminder of why we care about asylum seeker, Afghan allies, and women whose opportunities have been taken from them. Her story is still unfolding. And like so many others who have come to the United States seeking safety and opportunity, she is working every day to build a future.

* Name and identifying details have been changed for protection.