FutureSheLeaders (18)
In this episode of FutureSheLeaders, we meet Marva Soltani-the youngest symbol of leadership for a brighter tomorrow.
Amid the darkness of war and the closing of school doors to girls, Marva searched for light and, with courage, shared it with the world.
With the love of her father and the support of her mother and sisters, she lit a flame within herself-one that taught her courage, resilience, and the art of dreaming. A flame that has made her the unquenchable voice of hope for her generation.
With calm eyes and a steady voice, Marva speaks of women’s leadership-a leadership whose weapon is love, not the gun; whose strength is faith in oneself and in the future, not violence.
She speaks of learning and books, of sports, and of the companionship of family and friends. She speaks of the miracle of laughter and joy-believing that at the heart of women’s leadership lies the miracle of a smile.
Marva’s message shines like a star in the darkest nights:
“We will not be silenced; we will pass hope on to the generations to come.”
Join us, and witness the passionate story of this young girl with a great heart-here in Future She Leaders.
Royesh: Marva, hello. Welcome to Future She Leaders.
Marva: Hello, dear teacher. I hope you are well and healthy. Thank you.
Royesh: You are the youngest girl to ever join this program. I’d like to ask-how old are you, and how do you feel right now?
Marva: First of all, I feel very happy, and also a little excited-because this is the first time, I’m sharing my message with the world. I’m here as a girl who dreams of leadership, a girl who will never let her light go out, no matter what happens. Today, I’m really happy that you gave me the chance to be here and to talk with you. In fact, this October I will step into my 13th year-so after October, I’ll be fully 13 years old.
Royesh: When the Taliban came to Afghanistan, were you in Grade 5 or 6?
Marva: No, I was in Grade 4 when the Taliban came.
Royesh: You were in Grade 4. How did it feel? What did you hear about them? What image of the Taliban did you have in your mind?
Marva: I had never faced a Taliban member in my life, and it was the first time I’d even heard the name. Rumors in the alleys and in our community made me afraid. I clearly remember when the Taliban first came-I was sent home from school. I was in Grade 4. Schools were closed for a whole week, and I stayed home. The streets were quiet. Everything felt very still.
The day after we were sent home, I went down the street- I was small, and I loved going to school. I always had my satchel on my back and never left it behind. I went downstairs to buy some bread because we needed food at home. Everything was so quiet. The day before had been sunny- voices of children, laughter, joy everywhere. But that day was different. The sky was cloudy. There was no laughter. Nothing.
Suddenly someone pulled my satchel from behind. I was so scared. When I turned, I saw a man with a long beard, wearing loose shirt and trousers. He had a frightening face. I screamed and shouted, “Thief!” The man laughed loudly and looked at me. He said, “Why do you call me a thief? I am a Taliban. I protect your country. Why do you always carry your satchel on your back? Don’t you understand that schools are closed to girls?
He took a little booklet from my satchel, tore it, and threw the pieces in front of me.
I was only a child. My throat tightened with sorrow. That booklet was so precious to me. I picked up the torn pages and cried out, “You can never stop us!” Even if you stop me now, I will not let this darkness last for future generations. I am ready to burn-so the next generations can live in peace. If you tear my booklet, take my satchel, lock me in the house-I will still write with my pen. If you take my hands away from my pen, I will speak with my voice. I will never be silenced. I am like a star that still shines behind dark clouds.
I said these words, and the Taliban man laughed and walked away. When I got home, I felt strange and frightened. My mother asked, “What happened, my daughter?” I said nothing-just, “Nothing.”
That day I quietly cried. My tears fell silently; no one heard.
After that day I made a promise to myself: I will not simply cry-I will act. I will turn my tears into hope and bring true happiness. I will remove the black clouds from our children’s future and raise a generation people will long for as leaders. I will stand in the world as a leader.
Royesh: That took great courage. You were in Grade 4-so you were about ten or eleven years old.
Royesh: You were nine years old. Where did you get that courage? Which school did you attend?
Marva: I studied at a school called Rana, near our home. All my courage came from my family. I always remember-since the day I was born, wherever I went, my father’s hand was on my shoulder. He used to say, “If you lose heart, if you are hurt or suffer, come back-I’m with you. If the world turns against you, I will still stand by you.”
He told me I was not alone. He said a day will come when more people will value girls. They will work with us, and together we will build a future no one can imagine. That is the courage I borrowed from him.
Royesh: Can you introduce your father? What is his name, and what is his education?
Marva: My father’s name is Iqbal Shah. He is very patient, calm, and such a loving father. I love him so much. In every part of my life-financially, emotionally, even for my safety-he has always supported me.
My father studied up to Grade 12, and he also began some nursing courses. But in his time, many young men were forced into military service. When he returned, he started shop-keeping as his profession.
For as long as I can remember, he has provided for us through that work, meeting all our needs and giving us a peaceful life within his means. I am deeply grateful to him. I hope that whenever he watches this video, he will feel proud of me. If today I stand here as a strong girl, it is because of my father.
Royesh: How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Marva: I have four older sisters, one older brother, and one younger brother.
Royesh: And are your sisters as brave and confident as you are? Do they feel the same pride in being girls?
Marva: Yes, teacher! All of them have been symbols of courage, compassion, and patience for me. When the Taliban came and schools were closed, the pressure from society was heavy. I became a little aggressive at times. But my sisters reminded me: “No-when we have a voice to speak, problems can be solved. With patience, we don’t need anger.”
They told me: Yes, today they took away our pens and blocked our path. But tomorrow is still ahead. We are not to blame for the past or even the present- but we are responsible for our future.
They taught me what patience is, what trust is, and what courage is. They told me: everything that happens in your life is there to teach you a lesson, and all of it will make you strong and powerful.
They always told me: Be proud of being a girl. Because being a girl is a great blessing. Being a girl is, in truth, the missing half of the world.
Royesh: When did you start to feel this power and beauty in being a girl? In a society where being a girl is seen as a fault- where girls are harassed, even stoned- you see girlhood as strength, as dignity, as greatness. When did you realize that being a girl is such a big value in your life?
Marva: When the schools were closed and I could no longer attend, after finishing Grade 6, it really affected me. People kept advising me not to worry, but one night I saw a girl from Cluster Education, and I also saw some strong young women in the news. That gave me so much happiness-it gave me new energy.
One night, I was sitting alone by the balcony. My parents came and held me close. They said: “Be a star that still shines behind the clouds. Be a little bird-if its wings are tied, it walks with its feet. If its feet are tied, it speaks with its voice.”
Those words gave me strength. After that, I began to rebuild myself. When I joined Cluster Education, I saw the fire of motivation burning inside the girls. It was so powerful I could hardly believe it.
Every day, just by seeing them, I felt hope grow in me. It was like blooming into a flower. Nothing could block my path.
Then, in the Empowerment classes, that same fire filled me even more. And I don’t believe that even if the whole world stood against it, that flame inside us could ever be extinguished.
Royesh: You are very young, yet you attend Empowerment classes. Aren’t those lessons too heavy or difficult for you?
Marva: No, teacher, not at all. When I listen to the Empowerment lessons, I feel fire flowing from every part of me- motivation running through my veins. It feels like I carry a whole world inside myself.
For me, the Empowerment classes are very precious. Because when I couldn’t believe in myself, I came to Cluster Education and found people who believed in me- even long before I did. Their belief gave me new energy.
As a girl-I can truly understand this- nothing is more valuable than someone believing in a girl, especially in the hardest of times. That belief itself becomes the greatest gift, the most valuable moment for us.
Royesh: What do the other girls around you- in Cluster Education and in the Empowerment classes- give you that makes you feel stronger?
Marva: From their smiles, even in these hard times, I feel hope. In our situation, they never dwell on misery or restrictions. They always speak of motivation and dreams.
On my very first day in Cluster Education, I talked with about ten girls. I could see their dreams, their hopes. Then in the Empowerment class, I saw seventy or eighty girls come in full of energy.
They would wake up early in the morning- and I never once saw them without spirit.
They would say: “Here, we take root like flowers. Like a tree growing deep from within- we are its roots. And we will carry hope to the next generations. Because we are the voices of justice, motivation, and hope.”
Royesh: In Grade 4, the first time you met a Talib who pulled your satchel-that was one experience. But later, you faced another Talib who tried to stop you from going to school. What happened then, and what new feeling did that encounter leave you with?
Marva: It was a cloudy day, but not too late in the morning. I was on my way to school when I saw a Ranger vehicle with some Taliban inside. One of them, an older man with a white beard, came and blocked my path. He asked, “Where are you going? Why don’t you just go back home?”
That day I wasn’t wearing my school uniform. He stood in my way, but I said: “Qari Sahib, I’m going to school. Today I didn’t wear my uniform, because cleanliness is part of faith. I’m going to learn, so that tomorrow I can teach the Holy Quran to the children of the next generation.”
When I spoke like that, he didn’t stop me. Instead, he said: “Go, daughter. May you succeed on your path.”
That day was a very strange experience for me. Because compared to my first encounter, this was completely different. It surprised me and left me with mixed feelings.
I realized something: if we treat them with respect, sometimes they won’t stand in our way. The important thing is to understand each other- that’s what connects us.
Maybe many who block the paths of girls, like that Qari who stood in front of me, do so out of habit. But how we respond matters.
It’s like dealing with a child: if you fight stubbornly, the child pushes back. But if you approach with calmness, kindness, and gentleness, they may not resist at all. They may even smile, accept your words, and open the way for you.
Royesh: Do you think the way you responded could be considered a kind of leadership? Would you call that a leadership experience?
Marva: Yes, I truly see it as very valuable. Because in women’s leadership we learn that we don’t need guns, we don’t need swords, or any weapons for fighting or protesting.
Our only weapon is our kindness, our love, and the calm way we act. That itself is a leader’s response- not through fighting or stubbornness, but through compassion and love we solve our problems.
Royesh: Has it ever happened that someone bothered you in the market-just because you’re a girl?
Marva: Yes, in our society these kinds of harassment are common. It happened to me once, and it was very hard. Girls deserve understanding, not harassment that leaves scars or blocks their path.
Yes, I was harassed. It hurt me deeply- but I chose to stay calm. I didn’t fight back; I didn’t insult him. I just kept walking.
That man, who had tried to show his power, later came back to me and said: “Forgive me, sister. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I won’t bother other girls again.”
I was so happy he said that. I replied, “God forgive you.”
And I felt strongly: if we move forward with unity, no one can block our way.
That day I realized something: by ignoring him, he ended up shaming himself. He regretted his own actions. I didn’t waste my energy on anger or argument. I simply walked on.
For me, that became a powerful lesson- an experience of true women’s leadership.
Royesh: Among your friends, has anyone else ever complained about harassment-on the street, in the market, or in the neighborhood-and then you showed her a way to handle it?
Marva: Yes. It wasn’t a classmate but a girl who lived next door. We were very close friends. One day she came to me and complained: “When I walk, a boy looks at me with bad intentions. I get very anxious and scared. What should I do?”
I asked her how she usually reacts. She said she responded with words-she argued back every time. That surprised me. I told her: defending yourself by fighting back with words becomes a pattern of stubbornness.
I shared my own experience with her. I told her: “If you pass by him every day without reacting, he will eventually get tired of it, he will feel ashamed of himself. Why waste your time arguing and throwing away your energy?”
She listened and said: “You’re right. Let’s try your way once and see what happens.”
About three days later she came back-she thanked me and even gave me a small gift, a hair oil. She hugged me and said: “Now I’m not afraid. When I walk by, instead of being harassed, he shows me respect. You were right – it was just his stubbornness.”
After she understood, I introduced her to Cluster Education. Now she comes in the afternoon; her name is Setayesh and she’s very happy. She often tells me: “I know I’m not alone on the path to becoming a leader – I have leaders like you beside me.”
Royesh: In the life you live now, when you face hardships and difficulties, do you ever feel hopeless? Do you think the road is too hard, the challenges too heavy, and your strength too small to overcome them?
Marva: Hopelessness is real-it happens. Sometimes I do feel hopeless, but only for a moment. Most of the time, when I face hard problems, I share them with my group of five friends. Or I read a book. Sometimes I go to my teachers for advice. They always help me and give me back my motivation.
In our group work we always say: “We are the fruits of eternity- our tree will never dry, from the beginning to forever we will keep moving forward.”
Yes, hopelessness is certain for everyone at some point. When I feel it and I’m not with my classmates, I read books, or I write. When I write, the feedback I get from my friends feels like a light that clears away the hopelessness. Sometimes I put my feelings into drawings- and when I do, I find myself full of energy and hope again.
Royesh: In Empowerment you learn that strength begins at the core. You first see yourself as valuable, strengthen your own body and mind. Then you extend that strength to your closest family-your sisters, your mother-
and from there to friends. With practice, a person with a strong body, mind, family, and friends becomes truly powerful. Through these exercises, especially in leadership, how much have you brought your mother, brother, and sisters into harmony with you- so they think and act alongside you?
Marva: When I first joined Empowerment classes, I heard the phrase “Don’t break the glass.” It felt so meaningful to me that I wrote it on five pieces of paper and put them up around the house.
My brother saw it first and asked, “What does this mean?” I explained it to him. Then I gave one to my mother, one to my sister, and one to my father. I kept doing this for about three months. Now, whenever I come home, everyone waits eagerly to hear what I learned in Empowerment so I can explain it to them. They say: “This is not just an Empowerment class- it’s a class of self-building.”
When we practiced “Don’t break the glass” at home, I saw real changes in my family. My brother’s behavior changed, my father’s behavior changed, and together they came to understand the true meaning of women.
Now, when we walk, my brother says: “You go first- because you are a woman, and you deserve respect.” At meals he says: “You eat first-because you are women and you are honored.”
Even in making decisions, he tells his friends: “I must first consult the leaders of my home, then I will come back to you.”
He even asked me to teach “Don’t break the glass” to his own classmates. Two of his friends have now started doing the exercise in their own homes.
He thanks me again and again, saying: “Before, we never understood the real meaning of women. We only saw them as females. But now we see women as leaders- playing a vital role in our lives.”
Royesh: When your classmates talk with you, how hopeful do they seem? How much do they give you energy, and do you feel they bring that energy home-so their families become as committed and inspired as yours?
Marva: When we sit in our five-member groups and talk, there’s a girl named Sediqa. She’s very playful and warm – I love her a lot. She’s in our group.
She told me: “Since I started the exercise and reached a result, my teammates began the same practice too. They said it was such a good exercise.” They all tell me we should be people who are like stars – stars that shine even in the darkest nights and do not harm society.
They are always a source of motivation for me. They tell me: “Our silence is the cry of the future.” That phrase is our group’s motto – we always say it.
I’m so happy that future leaders are forming now – their minds are focusing even today. We always consider ourselves responsible for our future. We say: if we make efforts now, we will see the results later.
The inspiration I get from them is that they never think about giving up. Even when the internet in Afghanistan was about to be cut off, they didn’t panic. Instead, they said: “Let’s start new things. Let’s adopt new attitudes so no one can defeat us.”
My classmate always says: “I believe I will never be defeated in my life – because I have strong girls like you by my side.” In our five-person group I feel we have become a family. She always wanted to belong here. Her constant line is: “Let us be the roots of hope – roots that are never cut, giving fruit for seven generations to come.”
Royesh: You also mentioned sports. Do you exercise every day? How much do you train, and what activities give you the most energy?
Marva: I exercise about an hour a day-sometimes even an hour and a half. When I wake up in the morning, I get up 20 minutes earlier to do yoga. Yoga is the one exercise that really brings me peace. Most of the time I practice alone, but now we also do it as a group. Early in the morning, we call each other on video and practice yoga together. It’s such a beautiful feeling-my mind feels calm, and it helps my body and spirit grow.
I also love learning self-defense. That’s why I practice Taekwondo for about 40 minutes every day at home. I’ve downloaded training videos, and I’m already in the second stage.
So, I do Taekwondo, yoga, and jump rope. And since my school is a bit far, I also walk a lot. I think with all this, my sports routine feels complete.
Royesh: How about food? Do you have a good relationship with food? Do you eat well?
Marva: Yes. At home, my mother pays special attention to food. She always makes sure our meals are healthy-light, with little oil, and at night she cooks simple dishes. She always reminds us: “A sound mind lives in a healthy body.”
She prepares a variety of foods, even international dishes besides Afghan ones. Often, she makes salad and tells us: “Eat salad-it’s healthy and full of energy.”
Overall, my relationship with food is good. I like vegetables, but I don’t like meat very much-I eat it only sometimes. I enjoy dairy, especially yogurt, but I don’t like milk or eggs that much.
Royesh: One of the Empowerment exercises is making a food schedule at home. And by making a food schedule, you’re actually practicing leadership. You learn about food combinations, about nutrition, about prices, and even about budgeting. All of these are an important part of leadership activities. How seriously have you taken this exercise?
Marva: From the day we reached the 7 Actions of Empowerment, I started the food schedule with my friends. Last week, I made my first schedule at home.
I insisted to my mother: “Look, I’ve made a great plan!” When we followed it, the meals were not only tasty but gave us plenty of energy.
One good thing in our family is that we all like to try new experiences- from me to my mother, we all say innovation is important. We prepare different kinds of food.
Last week, for example, we made pasta-an Italian style. My sister cooked it and added her own touch with lots of vegetables. She also baked a dessert.
Something I personally love is fresh drinks. In the mornings, I prepare one for my mother, and she says it keeps her energized all day.
Really, making a food schedule has brought good changes into our life- and it has been wonderful.
Royesh: You also mentioned painting. What about music? Do you listen to music? Do you sing yourself?
Marva: My connection with music is even stronger than with painting. I listen to music most of the time-songs in many different languages. And yes, I also sing.
I’ve even written one of my own songs. It’s short, but I want to perform it with my friends and make it longer.
When I listen, I usually choose energetic songs. I have a few favorites that I never get tired of hearing.
I especially enjoy English music. When I listen, I feel like I’m entering a world of imagination.
And when I paint while listening to music, it feels like I’ve built a world that belongs only to me- a world with no barriers, where nothing can stop me. It gives me so much motivation to keep painting and listening.
Royesh: In Afghanistan, many girls feel neglected-by their families, their society, even their government. Some even feel their culture and religion have turned against them. Do you ever feel this way, Marva? Do you feel neglected?
Marva: Most of the time in my life, I have felt alone. But not because I lacked support, and not because religion or my family abandoned me.
Life is full of different events and challenges, and I’ve prepared myself for all of them.
There was only one time I truly felt neglected- a short moment when I lost all motivation. But it didn’t last long.
I’ve never felt judged or abandoned by my family or society. At home, I’ve always had my family’s support. At school, I’ve always had the help of my classmates and teachers. And in my dreams, I’ve always found strength through women’s leadership.
So, no-I’ve never really felt alone.
Royesh: When you paint, what kinds of things do you usually like to draw?
Marva: I really value imagination. Most of the time I try to draw images from my own mind. For example, once I painted a scale- to reflect the events and struggles of Afghanistan. That was a very meaningful painting for me.
I also love creating manga. I’ve already written two mangas, and most of the time I draw different characters for them. I have a special passion for writing manga stories and illustrating them.
Royesh: Tell us a little more about your manga writing. What is it, and how do you practice it?
Marva: We usually have two kinds of cartoons: animation, and anime. Anime comes in episodes and is often based on real events. Most of them are very motivating.
When I watched anime for the first time, I felt inspired. That’s when I started reading manga. For about a year I read manga-studying the stories and the pictures.
After that, I decided to create manga based on my own life. Manga is like writing a scenario: you write the story, sketch the images, and later animators can bring it to life as an anime or cartoon.
For now, I only write manga stories- because my drawing skills are not strong enough yet. But I’m trying.
I want to turn the events I face in life, the stories I hear from other girls, and even my own story, into manga.
Royesh: Which school subjects do you like the most? Which ones do you spend the most time on?
Marva: I love Chemistry and Math. In fact, all subjects are interesting- because our teachers explain them in a way that makes us excited for tomorrow. We even say: “I wish morning would come quickly so we can have the next lesson.”
I especially enjoy Chemistry and Physics. When I’m studying them, I feel like I’m in another world- a world where there is Chemistry and Physics, a world where I travel through galaxies and feel like I own them. It feels as though I can do anything. It calms my mind.
When I start writing my homework, when I start reading Chemistry and Math, I feel everything enters my mind and stays there- like it’s etched into my life. The subject I work on the most is English, because since childhood my dream has been to speak English like a native speaker. I focus on all my subjects, especially Biology and English.
Outside of school subjects, the one I have a special passion for- the one I never stop reading books about or researching- is Psychology.
Royesh: What field would you like to pursue in the future? What would you like to specialize in?
Marva: In the future, I want to study two fields: Economics and Psychology. Since I joined here, I’ve met many girls and listened to many of their stories. I really want to be someone who can listen to people and help them overcome the struggles and worries of life.
Royesh: Do you ever see problems around you-economic, political, social, or cultural- and feel they’re too complex or too difficult to solve? Do you ever think, “This is impossible, I can’t do anything about it”?
Marva: In my life, I’ve never used the words “hard” or “impossible.” Because I always believe: “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” I give my very best, and I don’t worry about the rest.
Inside me, I have an inner child. If I don’t do something I should, that child holds me tight and judges me. When I free myself from her, I feel real freedom.
So, when it comes to big problems-even political or social ones- I don’t feel powerless. I see myself as someone who just needs time. Because no problem can be solved in a single day.
I divide everything into steps and wait for the right time. I’m a very patient person, especially with challenges. I don’t give up on myself quickly.
I always think: first, do what matters most. Start with the basics. Build from today. I live with the hope that if I do the things I love each day, tomorrow will build itself. There will be no need for me to chase it-because I’m already creating it today.
Royesh: In your answers, you often emphasize teamwork- the energy and motivation you get from your friends. How much do you think teamwork itself strengthens you against challenges? Do you believe many problems-political, economic, social-don’t overwhelm you because, when the work is shared, they can be solved together?
Marva: Yes, absolutely. That is a beautiful truth. I deeply believe in the power of unity. Even if the whole world stood against us, real unity cannot be broken- a unity built on trust and true connection.
From the first day I began group work, I felt the weight of responsibility lift from my shoulders. I realized there were people who didn’t judge me, but understood me. People who accepted me as a girl, and loved me for who I am. That meant the world to me.
I felt I no longer had to carry everything alone. They took the load with me. We understood each other, and together we solved hard problems. No one ever dropped the weight on another.
Before teamwork, I felt like a mountain of burden was bending my back. But once I joined my team, I felt stronger, straighter. I no longer feel that mountain- not even the smallest weight- because I know I have another family here with me.
Royesh: How much do you enjoy laughing? In your group of girls, how much do you laugh together?
Marva: In our group, everyone is playful-we’re all lighthearted. Honestly, we’re experts at laughing!
When we come to school, we spend half an hour studying and half an hour laughing. Then again, half an hour studying, half an hour laughing. And it’s not just us-we try to make everyone laugh, to spread joy all around.
That’s our teamwork: when everyone laughs, we all gain energy. And that energy is a powerful gift we give each other.
I think the only thing in this world that is truly valuable is a smile – especially when that smile comes from a girl, from a woman. For me, that means the world.
Royesh: Laughing out loud is part of Empowerment training- a way of expressing and spreading energy. How much do you practice this in your group and at school?
Marva: With my group, we first focused on our common strengths. We all realized our shared talent is connection. I truly believe that even in the words we speak, we spread energy.
We always try to laugh in ways that make others curious- so, they wonder: “What are these girls doing that makes them so happy?” Sometimes other girls come to us and ask: “Why do you laugh so much? Don’t you have problems?”
We smile and tell them: “Sometimes we even laugh at our hardships- because laughter is the one thing, we believe in. And laughter spreads positive energy.”
There was one girl in our class, her name is Nazanin. She had gone through very hard times and was very quiet, weak in speaking and connecting with others. We brought her into our group.
From the day she sat with us, even the teachers were surprised. They said: “Nazanin, why have you become so lively? You used to be so quiet!” She replied: “Teacher, I didn’t become lively-these girls made me lively!”
She told me: “Since the day I joined you, even my home feels full of energy. You girls spread a kind of positive energy that changes everything.”
Royesh: Wonderful! Tell us more about positive energy. When you say you spread positive energy, what do you really mean?
Marva: When our group first started working together, we focused on our common strengths- what gives us the most motivation.
We all carried in our dreams an image of women’s leadership- a world where children are not divided by gender, a world where everyone can smile.
The five of us also love researching galaxies and astronomy. We asked ourselves: Where does positive energy come from? In our research we found that it comes from the universe, from the stars. Even the stones in our rings, we believed, carry energy from the cosmos.
So, we decided: let’s make it our job to spread positive energy. At first, we thought maybe all we could do was share words that touch people’s hearts.
But last Wednesday, after an Empowerment class, we celebrated Smile Day. It was simple-just a piece of candy wrapped in paper with the words: “Today is Smile Day. Your smile is enough.”
The joy it created was incredible. We gave them to girls in school, to little girls in the streets, to parents waiting outside, even to patients in the hospital. Everyone smiled. They blessed us and wished us success.
That day, we felt like we spread thousands of positive energies- and those thousands pushed away thousands of negatives. All with just one piece of paper and a sweet. No need for fighting, no need for defense. Just one paper carried a thousand rays of positive energy.
Royesh: Sometimes fear can crush a dream. Has fear ever made you give up on one of your hopes?
Marva: Only once. It was after I finished Grade 6. My dream was to one day be a great psychologist. But when I saw schools were closed, I felt afraid- afraid I would be stuck at home forever, that I’d become only a housewife, that I would never reach my dream, never lead.
When I joined Cluster Education and started group work, I shared this fear with my friends. They laughed gently and asked me: “Is your dream just to become a psychologist, or is it to build a future for the next generation?”
Their question made me think deeply. At home, I told myself: I’m already working for the next generation. That means I haven’t lost my dream. And my fear disappeared.
That night, we each wrote our fears on pieces of paper. The next day at school, we burned them and let the smoke rise into the sky. We said: “You will no longer block our path. We are destroying these limiting beliefs.”
Since that day, whenever a problem comes-even small ones- we share them with each other. But fear itself no longer has any power over us.
Royesh: You’re still very young. Life is a long journey ahead of you, and you have plenty of time. Don’t you think sometimes you rush too much? Do you ever feel you put too much pressure on yourself- carrying heavy responsibilities instead of simply enjoying childhood, like other kids who just run free in the streets?
Marva: When I first joined Cluster Education, it felt a bit like that. But once I joined my group, I saw my friends moving at the same pace as me. So, I told them: Let’s enjoy what we do! Let’s enjoy our drawings, our laughter in class, even the walks to and from school.
We don’t erase our childhood, and we don’t waste our time either. I like moving forward quickly, but I still hold on to my childhood dreams- knowing that each step prepares me for the next.
We enjoy reading books, because even in sadness there is a kind of hidden joy. We take the best out of everything that happens to us. Even when we joke in class and the teacher scolds us, we still enjoy it-because every event only happens once. Some moments become lessons; others become memories. Either way, we learn, and we treasure them.
Royesh: So, you don’t feel like you’re rushing too much or being too hard on yourself? You still respect your childhood, and enjoy life as a child?
Marva: Yes, I enjoy life just like other girls my age. At home, even though I’m still young and not responsible for chores, I try to help. I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and teachers.
Even when I sweep the floor or clean the house alone, I find joy in it-because every little thing carries its own hidden delight. I never feel under pressure or too strict with myself.
I also keep journals of my daily life. I save them in one PDF, so that when I grow older, I can look back and relive all the days of my life through them.
Royesh: Now imagine someone from society tells you: “These things you say and do are for adults. Leave them to the grown-ups. You should just be a child and enjoy childhood.” What would you answer?
Marva: I would tell them in just two sentences: Leadership is not about age; it is about vision. Age is only a number that shows how many years you’ve lived.
If leadership were only about age, no one would ever grow into a true leader. Real leaders are shaped and trained over time.
So, my advice to those who focus too much on age is this: if you still think leadership depends on numbers, you are already wasting precious time.
Leadership takes time, it takes place, it takes preparation. And I’m grateful I have the chance to start now. I believe if I work on myself today, I will one day be a leader who doesn’t judge people- but understands them.
Royesh: And if you could speak right now, as a leader, to the 40 million people of Afghanistan, what message would you give?
Marva: I would say: *Oh Afghanistan, my Afghanistan- do not judge your children by their gender. Do not deprive them of opportunities because of their sex, nor because of their ethnicity.
Yes, there are problems. But you are a mother. And a true mother never divides her children.
Because you divided us, we-your daughters-lost thousands of opportunities. Today, thousands of girls sit at home. I am among the lucky few who found a path in Cluster Education. *
If leadership were only about gender, the world would never have known true leaders. Because women are the missing half of the world.
Imagine a bird with only one wing-it cannot fly. The same is true for the world, and for Afghanistan. Women are one wing of Afghanistan. Without women, Afghanistan cannot exist.
Royesh: Imagine your current position, and think about those who are in leadership today. What would you say to them-the ones you feel are holding the place where you could have been? If they gave you the chance, maybe you would lead differently. What’s your message to them?
Marva: I wouldn’t tell them much. Because I know in the world we live in, every person already has a position made for them. It’s only hidden behind dark clouds.
There’s no need to compete, no need to fight for someone else’s place. We just need to clear away those black clouds.
I don’t say they took my place. I’m happy I found an opportunity to reach for the future, and I’m glad they, too, may use their opportunities- perhaps even better than me.
Maybe because of the Taliban, I discovered women’s leadership. If they hadn’t come, I might not have learned it. So, in a way, I’m grateful.
My message to today’s leaders is this: Use the chance you have in the best way possible. Life happens only once-everyone gets one chance. Enjoy what you do.
And remember: the greatest joy is understanding people. A true leader is someone who never divides between their own family and their society.
Royesh: In Empowerment, God is also seen as a beautiful kind of power- a way for people to give meaning to many things. I want to understand your relationship with God. How do you speak to God?
Marva: Most nights, I talk with God-especially when the moon is full. I love the night. I go somewhere quiet and thank God for every small success I have.
I see God as the One who helped me in my weakest moments- the One who became my umbrella when it rained. Even when I struggled with hardships, He never left me alone. He has been like a friend to me.
No matter how much gratitude I show, it never feels enough. It was God who guided me to Cluster Education. It is God who will keep helping me as long as I live.
My relationship with God is honest-like a person speaking sincerely to a friend. When I searched for God, I found myself. And when I searched for myself, I found God.
I thank God for having healthy limbs, for having a family, and for having people like you around me. I believe every hardship He places in my path is meant to make me stronger.
I am sure that the God above us sees me and will never leave me alone. Sometimes I may face difficulties or feel despair, but He never abandons me.
Royesh: Right now, as you speak, your parents are looking at you with so much love- remembering every moment of the journey that brought you here. If you look into their eyes, what would you say to them?
Marva: I love my parents so much. My mother went through very hard times, yet she never let us feel her pain. And I deeply love my father too, because together they carried us through those struggles.
Looking into their eyes, I would tell them: You are the best gift, the best blessing of my life.
I thank them- because when I first opened my eyes to this world, the first faces I saw were theirs. The first hands I held were my parents’ hands. The first word I spoke was their names.
I thank God for these two beautiful blessings. And I pray that this gift is repeated a thousand times in my life.
One day, if my parents look at me with pride, I will tell them: Be proud of yourselves. Because raising a strong daughter means you were strong parents. A strong daughter is not born-she is made by her parents.
Royesh: Imagine a girl sitting across from you. Her name is Marva. She is looking right into your eyes. What would you say to her?
Marva: I would say to her: “Oh Marva, the light that shines from the heart will never fade.”
I would tell her: I have come through pain to reach hope. My silence does not mean weakness- my silence is the voice of the future.
I would remind her: We are the builders of tomorrow. Do not be afraid, for there is nothing to fear.
Just as I found myself, you too will find yourself. Keep walking on your path.
Shams once said: “If a person searches for themselves, they will find a way.” And I believe this. If I am a good student, I will find my path. Rumi was a good student who found Shams, and Shams was a good teacher. When the student is complete, there is no more need for the teacher.
And to the Marva sitting across from me, I would say: Even if your cry is not heard, you can still give it a voice- on paper, in your drawings, or in your writing.
Royesh: Thank you, dear Marva. You are such an inspiration-for yourself, for your family, and for your generation. I hope you always remain Marva.
Marva: Thank you, teacher. May you live long. It’s your kindness-and I am truly grateful to have people like you by my side. As long as I have you, I will never lose hope or motivation.
I believe a day will come when the whole world will cry out: “Women leaders!”
And when that day comes, if I sit among leaders, I will tell them: “Together, let us shout: We fight with knowledge, and we build with love!”
We were the stars that shone in the darkest nights. So now is not the time to give up. We have shone through the darkest nights, and we will keep shining-whether the world wants it or not.
And my message to the whole world is this: I don’t just mean the girls of Afghanistan. Even those outside Afghanistan may face limitations- maybe not the same as ours, but in different forms.
To all of them, I say: good fortune and hope come from one thing- believing in yourself, knowing yourself.
If you don’t judge others, you will never be judged. In my life I have been judged many times, but I know that judgment and understanding are not the same.
So, I call on everyone: Understand one another. Create a unity so strong that no one can ever break it.
Royesh: Thank you, Marva.
Marva: You’re welcome. Thank you.
Royesh: Goodbye!