Afghan Teen’s Future: Women’s Voice Radio Impact
- KABUL — For 16-year-old Mehrangiz from Badakhshan, Afghanistan, life changed dramatically after the Taliban's return in 2021.
- Once a bright student with aspirations, Mehrangiz's dreams were shattered when girls were banned from school.
- A turning point came when she overheard a broadcast on Sadee Banowan radio at a women's-only restaurant.
Facing despair after the Taliban’s return in 2021, Afghan teen Mehrangiz found a lifeline in Women’s Voice Radio. This station in Badakhshan, Afghanistan, offers vital mental health support adn educational programs, helping girls like Mehrangiz reclaim their futures amidst strict limitations. Discover how primarykeyword Women’s Voice Radio provides secondarykeyword psychotherapy, curriculum, and innovative programming through broadcasts, empowering women and girls to find hope again. Mehrangiz’s story is a testament to resilience, offering a glimpse into how this radio station creates a “university of life” for those who need it most. Learn about officials’ plans to expand services with a new psychotherapy center, as reported by News Directory 3, and discover what’s next for Women’s Voice Radio, and the women they serve.
Afghan Teen Finds Hope Through Women’s Voice Radio
Updated June 13, 2025
KABUL — For 16-year-old Mehrangiz from Badakhshan, Afghanistan, life changed dramatically after the Taliban’s return in 2021. Strict limitations on women led to despair and a rise in mental health crises. Mehrangiz found a lifeline in Women’s Voice Radio, which helped her rediscover hope and a path forward.
Once a bright student with aspirations, Mehrangiz’s dreams were shattered when girls were banned from school. “I began to lose the fighting spirit,” she said, describing her descent into sleeplessness and despair. She eventually burned her textbooks, succumbing to the “suffocating silence.”
A turning point came when she overheard a broadcast on Sadee Banowan radio at a women’s-only restaurant. A doctor was discussing depression, and Mehrangiz was captivated. This led her to Women’s Voice Radio, a station dedicated to women’s issues.
As 2010, Women’s Voice Radio has been a vital resource in Badakhshan, now broadcasting 24 hours a day. Despite facing restrictions, including a brief shutdown, the station persevered.It developed programs like “Maktab” (School), offering curriculum materials to girls barred from attending school, and “Psychotherapy,” providing mental health support.
The radio station’s impact extends beyond education. It highlights innovative women in business through “Art in the Embrace of Women,” serving as role models. Officials plan to expand services with a new psychotherapy center.
Mehrangiz received counseling and a new outlook on life. Advised to focus on happiness and engage in social activities, she began to heal. “Life is smiling upon me once again,” she said. She now works at the radio station, learning valuable lessons and helping others.
“Let us try to find an alternative way to life rather than ruining our souls and tormenting our families.Let us trust in God,” the doctor advised Mehrangiz.
For Mehrangiz, Women’s Voice Radio is more than a station; its “a university of life.”
What’s next
Women’s Voice Radio plans to expand its psychotherapy services to meet the growing needs of vulnerable women and girls in Badakhshan, continuing to serve as a beacon of hope amid ongoing restrictions.
