Humanitarian Breaks Down on CNN, Expresses Optimism Over Future of Afghan Girls

A humanitarian broke down on CNN, though she expressed optimism over the future of Afghan girls as the Taliban has taken over Afghanistan.

Razia John – who opened a school in Afghanistan that, as CNN co-anchor Poppy Harlow said, “has provided education for thousands of young women and girls in Afghanistan” – said on CNN Newsroom on Friday that the teachers and students at the school are safe and that what is unfolding in the country is “very uncertain.”

“But among all these things, I think what I have to do is to keep positive attitude and hope for the best because I’m the one who’s holding the flag,” said John, who founded the Zabuli Education Center, a girl’s school outside Kabul Province that opened in 2008.

“Yeah. Of course,” replied Harlow.

“I think it’s very, very important for us to really encourage these girls that they have a future. And I will fight for them, with my last breath,” said John. “And I think if we work within the system, no matter what system it is, I think we’ll be successful.”

“You know, when I opened the school, these people weren’t favoring me. They didn’t want a girls’ school. But I worked with them. And I tried to make them understand that girls’ education is so important,” she continued. “Because when you educate a girl, you educate a whole village. And when you educate a boy, you just educate a boy. So I’ve been telling them time and time over again, and I think right now our school is safe. Our people are with us. My staff has gone in the village from Kabul.”

John mentioned that the Taliban went to her school “just a few days ago” and left. She added that the school’s neighbor is a member of the Taliban.

“He’s there,” she said. “And he has helped us many, many [times].”

Harlow remarked, “It’s unique that you have a different perspective on the Taliban as it exists right now. Just given what you just said and also you’ve previously said in the last few weeks that, you have significant hope that it will operate differently than it did 20 years ago.”

“Absolutely,” replied John.

“But can you explain why, because you’ve told the story about the day your school opened in 2008, on the other side of town, terrorists threw hand grenades in there, and a hundred girls, you know, were killed across town,” said Harlow. “There are accounts now even of girls being used as sex slaves by some members of Taliban. What gives you such confidence?”

John responded, “When you speak, when you say something, it is for free. It doesn’t cost you anything. So you can say whatever you want to. And I really want to emphasize on my vision of working within the system instead of talking about what’s happening anywhere else.”

“And I think there is really no basis for what people are saying right now. There are no sex slaves or anything,” said John despite reports that the Taliban has looked for sex slaves.

She continued:

They might have taken girls, but they must be from the same area and they wanted those girls to marry them or whatever the reason is. My vision is very different. My vision is to give these girls education. And to work within the system. Whatever system there is and whatever accommodations we want to make, we will. But I want these girls to get education. I want them to have a future and what kind of a future if it’s allowed up to sixth grade or third grade or ninth grade or even graduate from high school, and then do some practical training. I’m just kind of putting things in [perspective].

After these girls finish their high school, they could maybe do something that they could work from home. Something they learn, another year or six months of practical training that they could work from home and make a living. Because right now, believe me, my students who have graduated, we have graduated about seven years of graduation, and out of that, it’s about 179 girls, and most of them are working and helping their families.

After Harlow tried to interject but told her guest to continue, John became emotional.

“With all the trouble that we have, I can’t say … but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have hope,” she said.

“Yeah,” said Harlow.

“And I don’t want to at least attempt to make it possible for these girls to get education. How successful we are, it’s just like our movie, we made documentary, we don’t know what tomorrow brings, you know. But today things are positive,” said John. “My people have gone, my executive guide, they have gone to the school, they yesterday. They checked it out. Nobody has bothered … or anything or they’ve taken away anything.”

“They’ve seen that, you know, we have been building a new building to extend the school and so and they came and they saw and they asked,” she continued. “So I think it’s something that we just have to hope and I think if we speak less it is better for us. And let’s do practical things that is really useful for these girls to get education.”

Watch above, via CNN.

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