YouTube

By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more

Load video

From a Kabul based dusty refugee camp, a 14-year old Afghan girl by the name of Aziza Rahimzada has been nominated for the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize after fleeing her home in Parwan province.

Under appalling conditions Aziza organized education opportunities for the children of a refugee camp and simplified children’s access to the potable water.

She is the first Afghan girl who has been nominated for the prestigious International Children’s Peace Prize of Holland in its history.

“It is a great honor for me to be nominated for the Peace Prize (…) I hope I can compensate this honor by serving our children in the future.” said Aziza.

The committed teenager also provides circus training to the children living in the camp using two containers as playgrounds.

While Afghanistan is one of the most challenging places in the world to be a women, modern day heroes like Aziza practice their democratic rights in a country where 85 percent of women have no formal education and in fact are illiterate.

In order to value Aziza’s efforts providing potable water to the displaced families in the camp, the Irrigation and Canalization Directorate of Kabul conducted a ceremony to appreciate her efforts.

Aziza has been living in “Baghlan Camp” for ten years now together with eight other family members.  Baghlan is located in the east of Kabul city.

It is expected that Aziza will compete with two other youths from Puerto Rico and Liberia for the International Children’s Peace Prize in November in Holland.

Despite the bad security situation and poverty in Afghanistan, there are still many children here who will stop at nothing to gain a chance at education.

Unfortunately in Afghanistan, women were systematically discriminated against and marginalized during the Taliban reign. The continued violation of their rights resulted in the deteriorating economic and social conditions of women in almost all areas of the country. It is to be hoped that educated girls like Aziza can change the path of the country towards a brighter future.

Last year, Malala Yousafzai, children’s rights activist from Pakistan and the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, won the International Children’s Peace Prize.

An old Afghans saying goes: “Treasures even exist in ruins.”
14-year old girl Aziza Rahimzada proves this today.