Artwork has been an integral part of our program for years. Our children receive professional instruction in drawing, watercolor, pastel and oil painting. This is one way the children gain marketable skills and also reclaim their heritage and culture.
Khadija and Dunya are the two leading young artists in our safehouses who would like to pursue a professional career in art. By buying their artworks, you help them continue to pursue their dream and also support their families as money from selling their artworks goes to their families in Afghanistan.
Khadija
It was at 10:30 in the morning when the terrified teachers entered our classroom and ordered us to leave the school quickly to go home. On August 15, 2021, my life and millions of other Afghans changed, and Afghanistan under the control of the Taliban returned to the Middle Ages.
I am Khadijah, a student in grade 11 of the school. I was born 19 years ago in one of the remote villages of Kunduz province. Many years ago, my family came from the remote village to the center of Kunduz city to find work, this provided an opportunity for me and my two sisters to enter school.
Four years ago, I entered to AFCECO orphanage. It was a different place. Many girls from different regions of Afghanistan were studying in this orphanage. The orphanage officials had prepared a completely academic environment for the girls. There, I got to know different arts and valuable books that had a deep impact on my life. While teaching art and life skills, we learned about children's rights, women's rights, human rights, mutual respect, mutual acceptance, humanity, ...in early September 2021, AFCECO created a number of safe houses in Kabul, and I was immediately accepted into one of them.
My first attempt is to be able to survive in order to depict the visions and sufferings of Afghan women in my paintings in the future. I want to live for bringing the message and dreams of a 19-year-old girl and her contemporaries to the people of the world who survived the war, poverty, and problems and fought for their rights. When I wake up in the morning, I repeat this sentence: I am too tough for the pressure of the Taliban to destroy me!
Donya Artal
Four years ago, I started painting but not academically because its conditions were not possible at that time. I was inspired by all the pain in my country. Those made me strong and also; I thought I could use the world language which is art. I think with art, I can tell my feelings about my country and women rights in my country and across the world.
One year ago, the Taliban came and took over Kabul. All my life changed like a thousand million girls. It had a bad effect on artist life. First, they close our school and enact religious laws for girls. They are thinking that art is haram in Islam, and they are not allowing to artist to do their work. Before the Taliban me and my friend, we had an art group. We were painting on the wall. We painted in different corners of the Kabul walls, but when the Taliban came, they brooked all our artworks, and also when they started checking houses one by one, I burned all my painting. I will never forget that, because it was a bad situation for me and all girls and artists but now, I will paint stronger than the past.
Eight months ago, because of that situation I came to Pakistan, to continue my art and my education. I had two exhibitions in Islamabad. I will have more to show our pain to the whole world with my art. I hope one day I can help my Family and my people.