I have kept in touch with Shakofa (I used the name Samira in my posts for her protection) for four years. I recently asked her to create a summary of what has happened in the last four years. Here is her letter. (The fonts are irregular because of the transfer of her letter from a pdf format)
Dreams Never Die )inside every challenge, there is an opportunity
Dear friends,
I am writing this story so you can see what your support became.
On the night of 3 October 2021, after nearly two months of living in hiding, I made the hardest decision of my life: to leave my country. I was a mother of three, standing at the edge of an unknown path, with fear in my heart and responsibility on my shoulders.
On 6 February 2022, I arrived in Italy and was placed in temporary accommodation. Life began again from zero. I started working with the University of Turin. I worked constantly, learning, adapting, surviving, because stopping was never an option. While working in Turin, I witnessed the harsh realities of refugees and migrants.
That experience led me, in 2023, to establish the Afghan Solidarity Association, so I could support others while rebuilding my own life. At the same time, I continued working in academia and supporting my family. During this period, I also managed to bring my sister out of Afghanistan, and later my mother. Today, they live safely in Germany. These achievements came through exhaustion, paperwork, fear, and endless persistence, but family has always been my first responsibility.
Italy gave me safety, but not enough space to grow. The Italian language limited my academic future, and I refused to let migration become a barrier to my dreams.
In 2024, I applied for visas to Canada and the United Kingdom. I received both and chose the UK, because from here I could finally see my mother and continue my education.
I spent almost one year in Scotland. After six months, my asylum application was approved. Once again, I applied for a PhD. When I nearly gave up because I could not afford the tuition fees, I spoke honestly to my supervisor. The University of Glasgow later waived my PhD fees, and today I am officially a PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow.
I later moved to London, where there are more opportunities for work and stability. We are planning to rent a home in central London in January, finally creating a sense of permanence after years of movement.
I want to be honest: there are days when I am deeply tired. Sometimes I feel I have no strength left. But then I look at my children.
My son was born on 12 August 2021. At just two months old, he began the dangerous migration journey with us. More than once, along the way, he came close to losing his life. Today, when he speaks with his innocent words about his dreams, Yusuf wants to become a police officer. I find my strength again. My seven-year-old daughter says she wants to be the CEO of a company. She grows in front of my eyes every day. Unlike girls in my country, she is not denied education because of her gender. My ten-year-old son dreams of becoming a brain surgeon.Their dreams and their future push me forward when I feel empty. The road I walk is not only
mine it is theirs.
Alongside my family, I carry a larger responsibility. In 2023, I co-founded the Mother International
Institute of Education (MIIED) https://miied.com.au/. Our mission is simple but powerful: to support girls who are deprived of education. Today, we educate more than 300 Afghan girls from grades 7 to 12. Every year, one girl is supported to come to Italy to continue higher education. When I feel exhausted, the big dreams of these girls stop me from giving up. Thousands of girls are losing hope, and I cannot turn away.
Just as I supported my sister and brought my mother to safety, I have also supported many other girls on their educational paths. I know that my academic growth and personal success are not only for me. They are tools, so I can become a bridge for the deprived. Recently, when I saw the girls, whose education was supported with the help of Linda, I felt deep happiness. Even if I cannot always help directly, being a link, a connection, a reason for hope, still matters. But my goal is clear: to grow strong enough academically and financially so that I can support people directly and sustainably.
Over the past four years, I have changed my address around 16 times. Not because I was lost, but because I was moving forward, step by step, toward regaining my independence. There were moments when our bank accounts were frozen, and survival seemed impossible. I will never forget Linda and her friends, who supported us financially during those darkest days. Wherever I am, I carry your kindness with me.
Now, alongside my full-time PhD, I am working toward starting a small family business. My husband does not speak English, but he is strong and hardworking. If we can open a small juice shop, he can work, I can manage, and we can slowly build stability with our own hands.
I wrote this story so you would know this:
You did not help just one person.
You helped a mother, children, students, and the future.
You helped a journey that is still unfolding.
If you wish to follow my life, it is not because it is easy—but because it is real. A life built on effort, responsibility, and hope.
You did not help just one person.
You helped a mother, children, students, and the future.
You helped a journey that is still unfolding.
If you wish to follow my life, it is not because it is easy—but because it is real. A life built on effort, responsibility, and hope.
Please keep me in your prayers.
And if you ever come to London, I will welcome you with gratitude and pride.
With deep respect and endless thanks
SHAKOFA,
London, United Kingdom
I wrote several blog posts when I first met Shakofa.
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