Farida was 15 and in the tenth grade, and she was a most beautiful, smart, and talented girl. The family never tried to find out the real facts. They married their daughter to the man who showed up at the wedding party, even though everyone understood this person had mental problems. He was psychotic. He didn’t know about women and life.

The day I went to visit the women’s jail in Herat Province with two other women journalists, we had to wait a long time to get permission to enter. The jail is located in the heart of the city and is secured by Afghan National Police and hidden security cameras.

Now, again, I am laughing as I think about those good moments with my classmates. I hope all Afghan women get good moments at school.

Today I take to the keyboard to write the saddest story, a story about a young girl who just kept repeating these words: “There are no humans here, all are animals.”

With all my heart, I want to work for Afghan women. I want to stop the violence and the lack of information for women. My goal is to improve their lives and save them from many problems.

As a resident of Afghanistan, I want to deliver my message for the holy period: Eid is a good opportunity for us. We Afghans should unite to make a better Afghanistan. That is what this day is for. This is a day to forgive each other. Let us forget new, expensive clothes; let us wear ordinary clothes but see a child in warm clothes.

Sakina also had a message for readers of the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. “Dear women and sisters. Until you take action to change your life, you will never see any changes. Today if there are any differences in the treatment of boys and girls in the family, it is up to you as a mother to change things. Become a role model for other women. Start with your own family.”

Freedom does not mean anything in my country yet. Afghan women who feel they have complete freedom are thinking only of themselves.

Every evening at sunset up until two months ago, 42-year-old Rahima would light an oil lamp in her Farah home. The lamp did not provide much brightness; its glass needed cleaning daily, and it made her home smoky. But she had no choice.