KABUL, Afghanistan — An educational center in Kabul says interest in the arts among girls has surged dramatically since restrictions on their access to formal education were imposed by the Taliban.
According to officials at the center, art has become a powerful outlet for emotional healing and a source of motivation for girls deprived of their right to schooling.
A group of these girls, who have turned to painting, say they aim to use their art to amplify the voices of a silenced generation.
In a quiet neighborhood of Kabul where school bells once rang, the scratch of colored pencils on paper now fills the air. These girls, unable to attend school, are building a new world with color and lines.
“For me, art is a new language — one I use to express what my generation has gone through and to share our story with the world,” said Mahdia, one of the students. “Through art, we can express our feeling and message. Our message to all girls in Afghanistan is to stay strong and don’t quit education.”
Another student, Manizha Ahmadi, moved her black pencil with quiet concentration across the paper, each stroke a reflection of emotions long held back. For her and many others, art has filled the void left by the loss of education.
“We have started art because we have been away from education for the past four years and we want to express our feelings through these papers,” she said.
Umm al-Banin Mostafawi, also a student, echoed this sentiment.
The head of the art workshop, Sayed Hossain Mohseni, said the number of girls joining their programs has increased in recent months. He believes the creative activities have had a positive effect on the students’ mental health.
“These girls found art as a tool to express their feeling and pass on their message,” Mohseni said.
Instructors at the center, including Sayed Rasoul and Zarin Mohammadi, emphasized the importance of organizing exhibitions and supporting the sale of the girls’ artwork.
“Art does not have a value in Afghanistan. We want exhibitions to introduce our art to the people,” Rasoul said.
In the absence of educational opportunities, art has become one of the few avenues through which Afghan girls can express their emotions, stories and hopes. Across Kabul, small art workshops are now safe spaces where girls strive to paint a path toward a future in which their voices can be heard.
