A Dream That Displacement Couldn’t Interrupt: How UoPeople Helped Me Continue My Education

I was raised in an educated, supportive family in Afghanistan. I loved learning, worked hard, and always tried to achieve the best academic results I could.

My childhood was also marked by loss. When I was in seventh grade, the growing threat of the Taliban led my father to travel to Turkey with two of my brothers to explore the possibility of relocating our family. Tragically, just five days before his planned return, he suffered a heart attack and passed away in Turkey. His death was devastating for our family, particularly my mother, and our plans to relocate were abandoned.

Despite this loss, I remained committed to my education and continued performing well in school.

As I progressed through high school, however, the security situation in Afghanistan became increasingly dangerous. During eleventh grade, after schools reopened following the COVID-19 pandemic, our school was targeted, and explosive materials were discovered in the schoolyard. I remember leaving a classroom presentation with my friends and suddenly encountering confusion and panic as everyone was told to run.

When I reached twelfth grade, the conflict spread around our city. Gunfire and explosions became part of daily life, and sometimes I woke up at night to study while hearing gunfire outside. During our midyear examinations, the Taliban captured Jawzjan Province. When schools reopened, girls faced further restrictions and threats. We also heard disturbing accounts of girls being forced into marriages.

Eventually, our school gates were closed, and we were told to return the following year. Although I was fortunate to complete high school, I could not take Afghanistan’s university entrance examination, known as the Kankor. After years of working toward higher education, it was heartbreaking to see that opportunity disappear because of circumstances beyond my control.

Leaving Afghanistan and Finding a Way Forward

My family eventually had to leave Afghanistan because of serious safety concerns connected to my mother’s work with American Councils. In October 2021, five members of our family—my mother, my three brothers, and me—moved to Albania. Some of my siblings had to remain in Afghanistan, and we continue to worry about their safety and hope to reunite with them one day.

Moving to another country brought new challenges. I worried that the years I had spent studying would be wasted and that I might never achieve my dream of becoming a doctor. I realized that improving my English would be an important step toward continuing my education, so I began teaching myself through YouTube videos and online lessons.

Learning English required patience, consistency, and self-motivation. It also taught me that education does not always have to begin in a classroom. Sometimes, we have to take responsibility for our own learning and make the most of the resources available to us.

I also began volunteering with American Councils in Albania in November 2021. Through programs supporting the Afghan community, I served on the communications team, recording and submitting attendance, helping manage and design courses, and teaching a class focused on women’s self-confidence. These responsibilities helped me develop communication, organizational, teamwork, and leadership skills. I also participated in the LEAP program and am now part of the American Councils alumni community.

Helping Other Afghan Girls Access Education

As I improved my English, I thought about other girls facing educational barriers similar to those I had experienced. I began volunteering online to teach English to Afghan girls and other students who remained in Afghanistan. I wanted to share the skills I had taught myself so others could benefit from them, too.

I also helped more than five Afghan girls apply to UoPeople, supporting them with their applications and enrollment so they could pursue opportunities to study through full scholarships. I did this voluntarily and without payment because I believe education can open doors for people whose opportunities have been limited.

These experiences were especially meaningful because I knew what it felt like to have educational opportunities taken away. I wanted other girls to have a chance to continue learning and build a future for themselves.

I learned that even while working toward my own goals, I could help someone else move closer to theirs. Education became more than a personal ambition; it became something I wanted to share.

How UoPeople Helped Me Reclaim My Educational Journey

I first learned about University of the People through my oldest sister, who had earned her master’s degree from the university. Her experience showed me that pursuing higher education was still possible, even when life took an unexpected turn. Inspired by her journey, I decided to explore the opportunity for myself.

I enrolled in UoPeople’s Health Science program in 2023. Having been unable to follow the traditional university path I had planned in Afghanistan, this was an important opportunity to resume my education and move closer to my dream of becoming a doctor. Receiving a full scholarship made it possible for me to pursue a bachelor’s degree during a period when my family and I were still rebuilding our lives.

The flexibility of online learning was equally important. It allowed me to continue my education while adapting to a new country and the uncertainties that came with displacement. My studies required discipline, time management, and independence, but they also gave me a renewed sense of direction and purpose.

I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in Health Science in April 2026. For me, this achievement represented much more than earning a qualification. It was the continuation of an educational journey that had been interrupted by circumstances beyond my control. UoPeople gave me an opportunity to move forward when I had once feared that my dream of pursuing higher education might no longer be possible.

My degree also gave me an academic foundation on which to build my next steps in healthcare. I am now continuing that journey through my LPN studies, with the long-term goal of attending medical school and becoming a doctor.

Building a Future in Healthcare

After moving to the United States in 2024, I settled in Logan, Utah. Adjusting to a new environment meant finding ways to continue learning and gain professional experience.

I worked as an Operator at RR Donnelley until 2025. This allowed me to gain professional work experience in the United States while continuing to work toward my long-term goals.

I am now focused primarily on my nursing education. I am pursuing a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) program in Utah and expect to graduate in December 2026.

My clinical experiences have given me opportunities to participate in and observe a range of patient-care activities, including IV procedures, blood draws, blood glucose monitoring, patient ambulation, wound care and assessments, full patient assessments, documentation, medication-related activities, and patient and family education. I have also assisted with admissions and discharges and observed other nursing procedures.

These experiences are helping me develop practical healthcare knowledge and a better understanding of patient safety, compassionate care, and the responsibilities of healthcare professionals.

My bachelor’s degree in Health Science provided an academic foundation for this next stage. I am now building on that knowledge through nursing education and clinical experience. My volunteer work has also helped me develop communication, patience, and teamwork—qualities I believe are important in healthcare.

My Goal of Becoming a Doctor

My long-term ambition is to become a doctor and use my medical education to help patients and serve my community. My next steps are to complete my LPN program, prepare for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), and pursue admission to medical school.

I understand that becoming a physician requires further education, hard work, and perseverance. I am prepared to continue learning and take the steps necessary to work toward that goal.

My experiences have made me particularly aware of how vulnerable people can become when they lack safety, access to essential services, or opportunities to build a better life. I want to pursue medicine because it would allow me to combine my interest in science with my desire to help others. I hope to become a physician who treats patients with compassion, respect, and understanding, recognizing that every patient has a story beyond their medical condition.

I also want to continue supporting other students, particularly girls who face barriers to education. Helping Afghan girls learn English and apply to university showed me how much even a small act of support can matter. I hope to keep passing those opportunities forward throughout my life.

Advice to Women Learners Whose Education Has Been Interrupted

My advice to girls and young women facing barriers to education is simple: Do not allow the circumstances that interrupt your education to convince you that your dreams are no longer possible.

I know what it feels like to work hard for years and suddenly face circumstances that make your future uncertain. But I have also learned that one closed door does not mean every door is closed forever.

Your path may take longer than you expected. You may need to begin again, study in a different way, or wait for an opportunity you never imagined needing. That does not make your journey a failure.

My experience learning English through YouTube taught me that we can take small steps toward our dreams even when traditional classrooms or resources are not available. We can begin with what we have, remain consistent, and continue looking for opportunities.

I would also encourage girls to share what they learn with others. You do not have to wait until you have achieved every goal in your life to help someone else. When I began teaching English and helping other girls apply to university, I was still building my own future. Yet I was able to support others along the way.

Education is not only about earning a degree. It is also about developing the ability to think independently, make informed decisions, and create new possibilities for yourself and others.

Looking Ahead

As I look ahead, I hope to complete my LPN program, take the MCAT, and eventually attend medical school. I also carry the hope that my family will one day be reunited and that the relatives who remain in Afghanistan will have the opportunity to live safely and pursue their own dreams.

My journey has involved loss, displacement, uncertainty, and many new beginnings. But it has also given me opportunities to learn, grow, work, and support others. Learning English independently helped me take the first steps toward rebuilding my future. Earning my degree helped me move forward, and volunteering to support other girls reminded me that success becomes even more meaningful when we help others succeed, too.

I do not know exactly what every step of my future will look like, but I know what I am working toward. I want to become a doctor, care for others, make my family proud, and continue helping young women find opportunities to pursue their education.

My education was interrupted, but my dream was not. I intend to keep working toward it.

About the Author

Khadija A. is a University of the People graduate who earned a bachelor’s degree in Health Science in April 2026. Originally from Afghanistan and now based in Logan, Utah, she is pursuing an LPN program while working toward her long-term goal of becoming a doctor. She has also volunteered with American Councils and supported Afghan girls in accessing English-language learning and higher education opportunities. Outside of her education and professional goals, she loves spending time with my family and enjoys shopping and spending time with her friends. She is grateful to her mother and sister for their influence and encouragement, and to the educational opportunities that have helped her continue moving forward.