A while ago, a student from Afghanistan, 12-year-old Bahiri *, joined METAdrasi’s educational programmes. Within a few days, he managed to impress us all with his progress. “I’m sure you were an excellent student in your home country,” his teacher told him one day, wanting to praise him. “Miss, in my country I did not go to school. My parents made me stop going because the Talibans raid schools, and take the boys with them by force” the boy answered, and a heavy silence fell over the classroom…

These days, watching the news about the events taking place in Afghanistan, our thoughts are with the children, who, like Bahiri, are deprived of the most fundamental things, like going to school without being afraid. The women who live in fear of unspeakable oppression. The elderly who, after a life of hardships, see their country going through new ordeals. All those who will have to take the road of exile…

* The boy’s name has been changed to protect his personal data.