Madina

Edited by TSOS writer Twila Bird
Photo by TSOS photographer Lindsay Silsby

Because we are Shia and the Taliban are Sunni, they want to destroy us. My sister was forced to marry into a Taliban family. They killed her.

I worked for eleven years as a hairdresser. I have a certificate. Last year a group of Pashtun (Sunni Muslims) came to our village and opposed me saying that for money I encouraged people to wear immodest, open clothes [because they had to take off their head coverings] and this was against Islam. They wanted me to close my hair salon and they attacked me. We had to leave but couldn’t stay to sell our things at a good price. Our uncle helped finance our escape.

We have six children. I just want to live in a safe place where everyone can live in peace, whether they be Shia, Sunni, Christian or whatever.

Medina
Afghanistan