if anyone takes a life it is if he or she takes the life of all mankind if
she takes the life of all mankind if
she takes the life of all mankind if anyone saves a life it is as if he or
anyone saves a life it is as if he or
anyone saves a life it is as if he or she saves the life of all mankind I was
she saves the life of all mankind I was
she saves the life of all mankind I was born in the beautiful city of Kabul the
born in the beautiful city of Kabul the
born in the beautiful city of Kabul the capital of Afghanistan when I was 2
capital of Afghanistan when I was 2
capital of Afghanistan when I was 2 years old due to the civil war and my
years old due to the civil war and my
years old due to the civil war and my father being a government official my
father being a government official my
father being a government official my family had no choice but to left
family had no choice but to left
family had no choice but to left everything behind and save our lives we
everything behind and save our lives we
everything behind and save our lives we my father my mother’s with three sons
my father my mother’s with three sons
my father my mother’s with three sons and three daughters struggle for more
and three daughters struggle for more
and three daughters struggle for more than a decade as a refugee in Pakistan
than a decade as a refugee in Pakistan
than a decade as a refugee in Pakistan desperately waited to go back to your
desperately waited to go back to your
desperately waited to go back to your beloved country my brother and I had the
beloved country my brother and I had the
beloved country my brother and I had the opportunity to go to school and complete
opportunity to go to school and complete
opportunity to go to school and complete our education because we were refugee it
our education because we were refugee it
our education because we were refugee it was not easy we had to pay a huge amount
was not easy we had to pay a huge amount
was not easy we had to pay a huge amount of money just to attend and every day
of money just to attend and every day
of money just to attend and every day our classmate bullied us they call us
our classmate bullied us they call us
our classmate bullied us they call us Madera turning the world refugee into a
Madera turning the world refugee into a
Madera turning the world refugee into a hateful insult our parents told us to
hateful insult our parents told us to
hateful insult our parents told us to ignore them and focus on learning which
ignore them and focus on learning which
ignore them and focus on learning which we did when j1g Gargash de was living in
we did when j1g Gargash de was living in
we did when j1g Gargash de was living in Pakistan I was growing up with my family
Pakistan I was growing up with my family
Pakistan I was growing up with my family in Kabul due to the civil war in regime
in Kabul due to the civil war in regime
in Kabul due to the civil war in regime changes in Afghanistan our education
changes in Afghanistan our education
changes in Afghanistan our education system destroyed one day we were sitting
system destroyed one day we were sitting
system destroyed one day we were sitting in class and we heard gun fires and
in class and we heard gun fires and
in class and we heard gun fires and realized the insurgents were attacking
realized the insurgents were attacking
realized the insurgents were attacking the school luckily we survived but the
the school luckily we survived but the
the school luckily we survived but the enemy burned everything the colorful
enemy burned everything the colorful
enemy burned everything the colorful trees the chairs and tables and all our
trees the chairs and tables and all our
trees the chairs and tables and all our books went up in flames I was seven
books went up in flames I was seven
books went up in flames I was seven years old I had only known war I saw
years old I had only known war I saw
years old I had only known war I saw people dying
people dying
people dying I saw people dying family members
I saw people dying family members
I saw people dying family members disappearing innocence being tortured
disappearing innocence being tortured
disappearing innocence being tortured and killed in in some part of Kabul
and killed in in some part of Kabul
and killed in in some part of Kabul warlords ask crowded crowded terrified
warlords ask crowded crowded terrified
warlords ask crowded crowded terrified citizens to watch how a recently
citizens to watch how a recently
citizens to watch how a recently decapitated body dance after foiling oil
decapitated body dance after foiling oil
decapitated body dance after foiling oil was poured on it and they will play
was poured on it and they will play
was poured on it and they will play soccer with their heads as long as I
soccer with their heads as long as I
soccer with their heads as long as I live I will never forget that image
live I will never forget that image
live I will never forget that image fearing for our lives my family decided
fearing for our lives my family decided
fearing for our lives my family decided to leave Kabul and we moved to our home
to leave Kabul and we moved to our home
to leave Kabul and we moved to our home province in the east
province in the east
province in the east one night we heard a knock and before my
one night we heard a knock and before my
one night we heard a knock and before my brother could open the door the
brother could open the door the
brother could open the door the insurgents Bruceton to our house they
insurgents Bruceton to our house they
insurgents Bruceton to our house they dragged my father and two brothers they
dragged my father and two brothers they
dragged my father and two brothers they will return a week later with bruises
will return a week later with bruises
will return a week later with bruises bites and other signs of sign of
bites and other signs of sign of
bites and other signs of sign of tortures because of their work in the
tortures because of their work in the
tortures because of their work in the government so my family decided to leave
government so my family decided to leave
government so my family decided to leave Afghanistan and we also fled to Pakistan
Afghanistan and we also fled to Pakistan
Afghanistan and we also fled to Pakistan and became refugees that was my
and became refugees that was my
and became refugees that was my childhood
childhood
childhood after a us-led invasion in 2001 we found
after a us-led invasion in 2001 we found
after a us-led invasion in 2001 we found our opportunity to return to her
our opportunity to return to her
our opportunity to return to her homeland country Afghanistan because I
homeland country Afghanistan because I
homeland country Afghanistan because I had never seen our home province in
had never seen our home province in
had never seen our home province in South my parents thought it will be good
South my parents thought it will be good
South my parents thought it will be good to wizzard our extended family members
to wizzard our extended family members
to wizzard our extended family members still living there since my parents were
still living there since my parents were
still living there since my parents were always telling us how beautiful their
always telling us how beautiful their
always telling us how beautiful their place of birth was the picture that I
place of birth was the picture that I
place of birth was the picture that I had in my mind was not what I saw there
had in my mind was not what I saw there
had in my mind was not what I saw there was no paved road no modern building no
was no paved road no modern building no
was no paved road no modern building no green field nor were hospital or clean
green field nor were hospital or clean
green field nor were hospital or clean water to drink for anyone our heart were
water to drink for anyone our heart were
water to drink for anyone our heart were broken and our eyes were filled with
broken and our eyes were filled with
broken and our eyes were filled with tears women’s life were completely
tears women’s life were completely
tears women’s life were completely controlled by men’s their fathers their
controlled by men’s their fathers their
controlled by men’s their fathers their husbands and their brothers made all the
husbands and their brothers made all the
husbands and their brothers made all the decision for them young girls were
decision for them young girls were
decision for them young girls were even not allowed to go outside there
even not allowed to go outside there
even not allowed to go outside there were no school for them nor hospital or
were no school for them nor hospital or
were no school for them nor hospital or any type of health care after a girl was
any type of health care after a girl was
any type of health care after a girl was born she had no choice but to stay home
born she had no choice but to stay home
born she had no choice but to stay home get married have children and died my
get married have children and died my
get married have children and died my heart was broken and I knew that I had
heart was broken and I knew that I had
heart was broken and I knew that I had to do something I had only two options
to do something I had only two options
to do something I had only two options one to go back to Kabul and continue my
one to go back to Kabul and continue my
one to go back to Kabul and continue my higher education or stay in my province
higher education or stay in my province
higher education or stay in my province to hold the hand of those young helpless
to hold the hand of those young helpless
to hold the hand of those young helpless girls and trapped it unhappy woman’s
girls and trapped it unhappy woman’s
girls and trapped it unhappy woman’s despite worrying about my security in
despite worrying about my security in
despite worrying about my security in this very dangerous and conservative
this very dangerous and conservative
this very dangerous and conservative part of Afghanistan my parents agreed
part of Afghanistan my parents agreed
part of Afghanistan my parents agreed that I should stay to have a home school
that I should stay to have a home school
that I should stay to have a home school for young girls of course it was not
for young girls of course it was not
for young girls of course it was not easy to convince father that educating
easy to convince father that educating
easy to convince father that educating your own daughter is in the mains best
your own daughter is in the mains best
your own daughter is in the mains best interest I told them you must send your
interest I told them you must send your
interest I told them you must send your own daughters to school so they can
own daughters to school so they can
own daughters to school so they can become teachers the doctors and the
become teachers the doctors and the
become teachers the doctors and the lawyers this province need to survive
lawyers this province need to survive
lawyers this province need to survive after a while to get more support for my
after a while to get more support for my
after a while to get more support for my home school I went to the local
home school I went to the local
home school I went to the local governor’s office to officially register
governor’s office to officially register
governor’s office to officially register my school but my application was
my school but my application was
my school but my application was rejected they told me to go back home
rejected they told me to go back home
rejected they told me to go back home and mind my own business
and mind my own business
and mind my own business that was a time when I realized that in
that was a time when I realized that in
that was a time when I realized that in a country like Afghanistan nothing can
a country like Afghanistan nothing can
a country like Afghanistan nothing can be changed without having political
be changed without having political
be changed without having political power since both my parents were well
power since both my parents were well
power since both my parents were well respected and I had the huge support of
respected and I had the huge support of
respected and I had the huge support of young generation around me I decided to
young generation around me I decided to
young generation around me I decided to run for Parliament is a first female
run for Parliament is a first female
run for Parliament is a first female from my male controlled province after
from my male controlled province after
from my male controlled province after five month or five month long dangerous
five month or five month long dangerous
five month or five month long dangerous and serious campaign going door to door
and serious campaign going door to door
and serious campaign going door to door was it in different district talking to
was it in different district talking to
was it in different district talking to the people is a
the people is a
the people is a for first time as a female carded I want
for first time as a female carded I want
for first time as a female carded I want election and I become the youngest
election and I become the youngest
election and I become the youngest member of parliament
during my time in Parliament I had the
during my time in Parliament I had the wonderful opportunity to draft to draft
wonderful opportunity to draft to draft
wonderful opportunity to draft to draft and vote for different laws on behalf of
and vote for different laws on behalf of
and vote for different laws on behalf of Afghan women’s and also attend and speak
Afghan women’s and also attend and speak
Afghan women’s and also attend and speak in national and international
in national and international
in national and international conferences to build more stronger
conferences to build more stronger
conferences to build more stronger network for Afghan women’s like hundreds
network for Afghan women’s like hundreds
network for Afghan women’s like hundreds of thousands of Afghan families my
of thousands of Afghan families my
of thousands of Afghan families my family also returned to Afghanistan in
family also returned to Afghanistan in
family also returned to Afghanistan in 2001 because of my English and computer
2001 because of my English and computer
2001 because of my English and computer skills I got a job doing IT at the
skills I got a job doing IT at the
skills I got a job doing IT at the presidential palace and later was
presidential palace and later was
presidential palace and later was promoted to be a liaison between our
promoted to be a liaison between our
promoted to be a liaison between our government and international embassies I
government and international embassies I
government and international embassies I work closely with Excellency President
work closely with Excellency President
work closely with Excellency President Hamid Karzai the US State Department the
Hamid Karzai the US State Department the
Hamid Karzai the US State Department the US military to support the United State
US military to support the United State
US military to support the United State mission in Afghanistan around this time
mission in Afghanistan around this time
mission in Afghanistan around this time I met a beautiful young politician I
made sure I was the one to escort her to
made sure I was the one to escort her to all her meetings at the presidential
all her meetings at the presidential
all her meetings at the presidential palace to get to know her better
palace to get to know her better
palace to get to know her better after many conversations we realized
after many conversations we realized
after many conversations we realized that we had the same vision for our
that we had the same vision for our
that we had the same vision for our country so we decided to get married but
country so we decided to get married but
country so we decided to get married but wait a minute was that easy for us to
wait a minute was that easy for us to
wait a minute was that easy for us to tell our families it’s unusual in
tell our families it’s unusual in
tell our families it’s unusual in Afghanistan to marry someone from a
Afghanistan to marry someone from a
Afghanistan to marry someone from a different tribe but we bought for
different tribe but we bought for
different tribe but we bought for rule-breakers the right we got married
rule-breakers the right we got married
rule-breakers the right we got married and continued our mission for a better
and continued our mission for a better
and continued our mission for a better and sustainable nation during our time
and sustainable nation during our time
and sustainable nation during our time in the government we built the very
in the government we built the very
in the government we built the very first school for girls
first school for girls
first school for girls the very first hospital for women in
the very first hospital for women in
the very first hospital for women in south of Afghanistan by the support of
south of Afghanistan by the support of
south of Afghanistan by the support of our international allies
even though I had the government
even though I had the government position but it was not easy to face
position but it was not easy to face
position but it was not easy to face those warlords who taught discussing
those warlords who taught discussing
those warlords who taught discussing anything to do with women life was a
anything to do with women life was a
anything to do with women life was a complete waste of time to shut me up
complete waste of time to shut me up
complete waste of time to shut me up they began making threats against me and
they began making threats against me and
they began making threats against me and my family and we were in constant
my family and we were in constant
my family and we were in constant dangerous I will survive several attack
dangerous I will survive several attack
dangerous I will survive several attack including car bombs and an attempt of
including car bombs and an attempt of
including car bombs and an attempt of kidnapping of my six-month-old son from
kidnapping of my six-month-old son from
kidnapping of my six-month-old son from daycare it was all because we were
daycare it was all because we were
daycare it was all because we were fighting for democracy threatening phone
fighting for democracy threatening phone
fighting for democracy threatening phone calls in text messages became a regular
calls in text messages became a regular
calls in text messages became a regular part of my morning as regular as a cup
part of my morning as regular as a cup
part of my morning as regular as a cup of morning coffee here I would glance
of morning coffee here I would glance
of morning coffee here I would glance down in read this is going to be your
down in read this is going to be your
down in read this is going to be your last day
last day
last day make sure say bye to your family or
make sure say bye to your family or
make sure say bye to your family or cooperate or else I would leave for work
cooperate or else I would leave for work
cooperate or else I would leave for work with this terrifying threats in my mind
with this terrifying threats in my mind
with this terrifying threats in my mind thinking that this will be my last day
thinking that this will be my last day
thinking that this will be my last day and I will be not able to see my lovely
and I will be not able to see my lovely
and I will be not able to see my lovely family back it was during these
family back it was during these
family back it was during these dangerous in uncertain days that my wife
dangerous in uncertain days that my wife
dangerous in uncertain days that my wife and I learned of a plot of attacking the
and I learned of a plot of attacking the
and I learned of a plot of attacking the US military and diplomatic officials we
US military and diplomatic officials we
US military and diplomatic officials we had two choices say quite and let our
had two choices say quite and let our
had two choices say quite and let our friends die or pick up the phone and
friends die or pick up the phone and
friends die or pick up the phone and stop the plot I jeopardize I put my
stop the plot I jeopardize I put my
stop the plot I jeopardize I put my family lives in jeopardy and called a
family lives in jeopardy and called a
family lives in jeopardy and called a friend at the US Embassy and warned him
friend at the US Embassy and warned him
friend at the US Embassy and warned him of the attack the plot was uncovered and
of the attack the plot was uncovered and
of the attack the plot was uncovered and lives were saved and because of that
lives were saved and because of that
lives were saved and because of that though our life was was even more
though our life was was even more
though our life was was even more endangered a day later I called Gargash
endangered a day later I called Gargash
endangered a day later I called Gargash to my wife and told her grab our
to my wife and told her grab our
to my wife and told her grab our important documents we must leave I
important documents we must leave I
important documents we must leave I don’t think so we will be coming back
don’t think so we will be coming back
don’t think so we will be coming back we had only a few hours to say bye to
we had only a few hours to say bye to
we had only a few hours to say bye to our families especially to our mothers
our families especially to our mothers
our families especially to our mothers imagine hugging your mom for the last
imagine hugging your mom for the last
imagine hugging your mom for the last time and living for a unknown
time and living for a unknown
time and living for a unknown destination and we became refugees again
destination and we became refugees again
destination and we became refugees again after 14 hard months in Turkey selling
after 14 hard months in Turkey selling
after 14 hard months in Turkey selling everything we had included our wedding
everything we had included our wedding
everything we had included our wedding bands the United States of America
bands the United States of America
bands the United States of America accepted us as a refugee and we become a
accepted us as a refugee and we become a
accepted us as a refugee and we become a part of this great
when we first arrived in the United
when we first arrived in the United States G suggested to go to Omaha
States G suggested to go to Omaha
States G suggested to go to Omaha Nebraska where prey
we’re president were Excellency
we’re president were Excellency President Karzai had sent her in 2006 to
President Karzai had sent her in 2006 to
President Karzai had sent her in 2006 to attend the class of course I looked up
attend the class of course I looked up
attend the class of course I looked up on behind Google Maps and thought gee
on behind Google Maps and thought gee
on behind Google Maps and thought gee come on it’s in the middle of nowhere
come on it’s in the middle of nowhere
come on it’s in the middle of nowhere but guess what I was wrong
but guess what I was wrong
but guess what I was wrong after living in Maryland Virginia in
after living in Maryland Virginia in
after living in Maryland Virginia in California I finally listened to my wife
California I finally listened to my wife
California I finally listened to my wife and we moved to Omaha I now know it’s in
and we moved to Omaha I now know it’s in
and we moved to Omaha I now know it’s in the middle of everywhere and it’s the
the middle of everywhere and it’s the
the middle of everywhere and it’s the best place in the world
best place in the world
best place in the world [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
we have faced many challenges to achieve
we have faced many challenges to achieve our goals of improving the life of
our goals of improving the life of
our goals of improving the life of common people in Afghanistan we made a
common people in Afghanistan we made a
common people in Afghanistan we made a difference now girls in my village
difference now girls in my village
difference now girls in my village learned that that they can be a
learned that that they can be a
learned that that they can be a representor and Parliament a teacher in
representor and Parliament a teacher in
representor and Parliament a teacher in local school or nurse and doctors in the
local school or nurse and doctors in the
local school or nurse and doctors in the hometown Hospital our life have been
hometown Hospital our life have been
hometown Hospital our life have been marked by constant change from refugees
marked by constant change from refugees
marked by constant change from refugees to a political power couple to a refugee
to a political power couple to a refugee
to a political power couple to a refugee once again to all this change though one
once again to all this change though one
once again to all this change though one thing has been true we never give up
thing has been true we never give up
thing has been true we never give up never give up
”
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