Posted to Sister Zeph’s Journal
By Sister Zeph
On 12 January, 2014
By Zephaniah
One incident forever altered the course of my life: during my 7th-grade year, I was delivering a speech to my class, assuming the role of a teacher and even standing on her chair. However, when the actual teacher entered the room, she began to physically chastise me in front of my peers. She subjected me to verbal abuse, and all the girls in the class joined in, ridiculing me relentlessly. The humiliation I felt during that moment was profound, and I found myself in tears for many days. It felt as though my heart was withering inside me.
In response to this traumatic experience, I made the decision to leave the traditional school system, although I never ceased my pursuit of knowledge. I started reading privately within the confines of my home. My determination to make a difference led me to begin teaching other girls, offering them the respect, love, and care that I had been denied in my previous school. Initially, I had just one student, and our “classroom” was an open area devoid of pens, notebooks, or teaching materials. I possessed only a handful of books. Nevertheless, I persevered because I never wanted any child to undergo what I had experienced. I vowed to create an environment where I would never resort to using punitive measures and where I would strive to make education engaging and enjoyable for the children.
Since the age of 13, I have been providing free education, and to this day, I continue to offer free education to women and children. Over the years, I have granted formal education to five hundred girls, imparted skills training to 50 women, and taught English, Internet skills, and computer literacy to 100 girls. This month, I am launching a beauty salon to provide my students with opportunities for future income.
I firmly believe that the internet and technology play pivotal roles in expanding the horizons and amplifying the voices of girls in our society. In Pakistan, we witness the coexistence of two divergent societies. In one, women are breaking barriers, assuming roles as administrators, fighter pilots, and even the Prime Minister. Some view these achievements as evidence of progress and women gaining their rightful place. On the flip side, women are still being victimized in the name of so-called honor, enduring mental torment, and losing their agency to decide when to sleep, when to wake, or whether to pursue an education or choose their own career or life partner. They endure a lifetime of suffering in search of love, care, and respect. It was through my work in teaching women and girls that I became acutely aware of the multifaceted challenges they face, and I could feel their anguish, helplessness, and pain.
I firmly believe that the key to resolving all our societal problems lies in education and harnessing technology to empower the women of our world.