Growing up, I refused to accept I was anything less than my brother or any other man. But there were things I could not do simply because I was a girl. One of these was swimming. Every time I passed a river, realizing that I could not swim disappointed me. But deep down inside, I always knew I would learn how to swim someday.

Ed’s note: Below is the transcript of a speech that Meena gave to a church in the United States that hosted a group of Afghan children being treated for a variety of medical issues.

Dear All,

Mother Teresa once said, “We cannot do great things on this Earth, only small things with great love,” so please let me thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of all my Afghan

Meena’s Note: In March 2009, the Afghan parliament and president signed a law concerning Shias, a minority that makes 15 percent of the population. This law permitted marital rape along with other laws violating basic human rights for women. For the first time in the history of Afghanistan, women poured on the streets of Kabul protesting the law and demanding their rights. I was fortunate enough to be a part