“In Afghanistan, women have no rights, they have no value. It’s so hard for a woman to stand on her own two feet. But in Canada, women can study, they can work, they can live, they can laugh, and make their future bright.”
I spent most of my life in Pakistan as a refugee. In 2016, I moved back home to Afghanistan with my husband. One day, when I was about five months pregnant, my husband came home covered in blood. His car had exploded in a bomb blast. I thought I had lost him. I kept slapping my face, asking if he was really standing in front of me.
My husband’s family lives in Afghanistan. He had a good job there. But the attack broke his heart. The Taliban were attacking all the time. We had no hope. We packed our bags and fled to Tajikistan, where we waited to get our visas for Canada.
We moved to Calgary in July 2019. The first two months were really hard. I couldn’t talk to people and I was home all the time while my husband worked. I spent a lot of my time online, researching Calgary, and that’s when I learned about the Centre for Newcomers, a United Way partner agency. I decided to sign up for classes so I could improve my English and get an education. For the first time, I had hope.
I have a very supportive husband; he encourages me to follow my dreams. He supports me in every step of my life. In my culture, we have a saying: “I work with you shoulder to shoulder.” After I completed my courses at the centre, I told my husband that I wanted to work with him to help support our family. But he encouraged me to continue improving my English and my computer skills so I could get my dream job. I would really love to work as a receptionist. I love talking to people and helping people.
In Afghanistan, women have no rights, they have no value. It’s so hard for a woman to stand on her own two feet. But in Canada, women can study, they can work, they can live, they can laugh, and make their future bright.
I am excited for my future. I feel more confident now—I can get an education, work hard, and build a better life for myself and my family. I can make my dreams come true.