'It's so hard to be a woman in Afghanistan': Final Afghan refugee joins classmates in Saskatoon

The final Afghan student who fled the Taliban in her home country is now in Saskatoon, joining a contingent of others who arrived over the past two years.

After two years of travelling — first escaping Afghanistan then to various safe houses — Zahra Mohammadi is now at her destination in Saskatoon.

“I really like it here. There is my besties in school I’m really happy to see them,” Mohammadi told CTV News.

She’s the last student of 213 to arrive in Saskatoon from the progressive Marefat School in Kabul, which taught subjects like democracy and women’s rights.

Other students from the school arrived in Saskatoon in 2021 and another group last year. All students at the school were targets of the Taliban because they were female and educated, with a strong online presence.

“How Zahra ended up as the last girl was simply because there were so many little things that happened. Twice she got turned down at an airport because of paperwork. When she was flying in from Iran, she couldn’t fly because she had the wrong exit visa,” said Bella Pollen, 30 Birds Foundation co-founder.

Pollen is based in England and founded the worldwide group to aid the students of Marafet School once the Taliban seized power.

“Our focus was getting them out of country to immediate safety, and to get them out and to safety we needed a host country, and Canada was always our first choice,” she said.

Mohammadi had to leave her parents and two brothers in Iran, the final country she fled to before completing the journey to safety.

If she had stayed in Afghanistan or Iran, she may have faced arranged marriage, and no education.

“In Afghanistan I cannot go to school or any courses. I’m 21 I want to go to school,” she says.

In addition to those rules, Mohammadi says, women aren’t allowed to go out outside freely. Mohammadi explains that dogs can go outside without restrictions, but women can’t.

“It’s so hard to be a woman in Afghanistan.”

She’s finishing her Grade 12 in Saskatoon now. She was completing that grade when the Taliban took over the country again in 2021. Her goal is to work and make money here so her family can join her one day.

“It was so hard for me to say bye to them. I’m hopeful to see them again.”