Invicta Vlogs
We Can
In the news last week, there was the story of a young girl called Naeema who has lived her life in fear until now. Naeema grew up in Zehri Jamshar, in the Khuzdar district of Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province, which is a poverty-stricken area. Balochistan is one of Pakistan’s poorest provinces; throughout history, there has been a large amount of crime and an excessive amount of hostility due to the army’s presence. Naeem says that life is miserable, and it is clear that women suffer far more than the men do! She explains that she is one of seven and they were abandoned by their father who went off to marry another woman, leaving all the children to be cared for by their uneducated mother. Due to her mother’s lack of education, the family had to rely on a charity that helps families in order to get the basic requirements that a person needs.
Getting an education was a real struggle. Naeem attended a girl’s state school in her village until she was ten. However, between 2009 to 2013 she says that the school was taken over by criminals; these men built a barrier around the school, meaning she could no longer get an education there. The barrier was put in place for 2 reasons: it meant that girls could not go to school and provided the armed men with a hideout. The barrier would always be guarded by men with guns, which instilled fear into Naeem, as she was always concerned that they might shoot her.
The barrier sent the message “Don’t send your girls to school”. Naeem and some other girls managed to attend a school further away, although this was just a formality and did not allow them to learn anything; as soon as they had signed the register, they would be sent home. A lot of the teachers at the school also lived in fear of the situation and many were also corrupt which compounded the problem.
The level of violence in Balochistan was rising at the time and Naeem had to suffer the loss of two of her uncles, who were abducted and brutally murdered. This tragedy motivated Naeem to do everything she could to gain an education; she ended up finishing her studies at home and sitting exams as a private candidate. Naeem had further struggles but eventually managed to make it through university with US funding and wants to become a journalist, so she can share her story and the story of her people with the world. Naeem’s achievement is incredible, as girls are discouraged from attending school; being made to believe they are better suited to doing work like chores and any money they make, should be handed over to the men of the family.
Having read about Naeem’s story, it made me realise how truly lucky we are at Invicta. It is very easy to get caught up in our own lives and forget about the struggles that others may be facing. We are incredibly fortunate to be able to attend such an amazing school and get an extensive education, which enables us to go on and do many things. I feel a lot of us do not appreciate this enough! I believe that Naeem is living proof that anything is possible. Despite all the struggles, she has achieved her education, which not many women in Pakistan will. I think this shows that there is always hope at the end of the tunnel, if we just keep going and never give up. At some point this week, take a moment out to appreciate what we have - that Naeem did not; whether it is being able to actually attend school, walk in without fear, having teachers that are ready to help you or having the control of your future in your hands. Never forget how lucky we are!
By Charlotte Traube
Deputy Head Girl
