The lives of people living in remote areas of Afghanistan, especially young men and women, begin with a series of family, economic and social problems. Arif Iftikhari, a 25-year old educator who grew up in Bamyan, says: “There is no need to remain silent about these problems, but it is very important that everyone should have a strong determination to deal with them.”
Arif spent his childhood as a shepherd: “As far as I can remember, there was no school for the education of children in our area, there was only religious education.” At the age of eleven, Iftikhari left his home village to visit his aunt’s house in Kabul. He says: “I had never seen asphalted roads in my life. When I came to Kabul, I saw that Kabul is a modern city where every street and road is constructed well. Everyone has access to education and a comfortable life.”
Iftikhari was able to enroll in a school in Kabul with the help of his aunt’s husband: “I enjoyed life in Kabul and wanted to strive for a brighter future like the rest of the people and youth of my province. To fund my studies, I spent most of my spare time working as a cleaner in hotels, and finally, despite a series of economic problems, I finished school.”
Iftikhari passed the entry exam for studying at the Theater Faculty of Kabul University and has become an educator for young people: “I have seen several social, economic and family problems since my childhood, so I felt it necessary to share my experiences with other young people through social activities and to try to gain a new set of experiences and improve my social life as well as help others to do the same as I did. I always try to reach out to young people like me who are facing a range of problems and to encourage them to have a strong determination and patience to fight them.”
Iftikhari works with young people to improve their lives and to solve problems through a series of social programs to bring about positive change. “Due to the current situation and problems in the country, I have launched a series of entertaining and motivating programs for youths. Such programs help them to spend their time without wasting it, and it helps them to get motivated for a positive social life, and to strive for social development,” says Iftikhari. “Life is like a task. If done honestly and carefully, success is achieved, and if there is no honesty and care, we will face difficulties.”