Zoya's Story

One thing that's on my "Bucket List" is to help (in some fashion) girls in oppressive situations get education; help build a school or help fund educational initiatives.

The story that inspired me to put this on my list is called Zoya's Story. Published in 2002, Zoya shows readers a young-Afghani woman's struggles to grow up and be educated in a tumultuous area. Although it's not written with the prowess of Chaucer, it's more than an easy read. Women who lead privileged lives, such as myself, don't see beyond their own progressive borders. By reading Zoya's story, my attention drew beyond North America, and my interest in promoting equality grew. Zoya has been through more than a teenage boy has experienced playing Call of Duty. This book is a must read! Although, I have to admit, it give a sense of "we're right and you're wrong" to first-world people, but it shouldn't be the norm for women to have to sneak reading and writing materials into homes. There shouldn't be guards with guns outside schools to protect the women and children from being shot at. Women, as human beings, have a right to education. My idealist hope is that one day we will all have an opportunity for equal education. Whether this will happen in my lifetime, at all, is, sadly, unknown.