How I Stopped the Taliban from Shutting Down My School | Sakena Yacoobi | TED Talks

Translator: Sara Dosil Amor Reviewer: Carme Paz

(Arabic) I seek refuge in Allah from cursed Satan. In the Name of Allah, the most Gracious, the most Merciful.

(Árabe) Refúxiome en Alá de Satanás, o maldito. En nome de Alá, o misericoridioso.

(English) I was born in a middle class family.

(Inglés) Nacín nunha familia de clase media.

My father was five years old when he lost his father,

Meu pai tiña cinco anos cando perdeu o seu pai,

but by the time I was born,

pero cando eu nacín,

he was already a businessman.

el xa era un home de negocios.

But it didn't make a difference to him

Aínda así, a el dáballe igual

if his children were going to be a boy or a girl:

se os seus fillos eran nenos ou nenas:

they were going to go to school.

ían ir á escola.

So I guess I was the lucky one.

Así que supoño que eu fun afortunada.

My mother had 16 pregnancies.

Miña nai estivo embarazada 16 veces.

From 16 pregnancies, five of us are alive.

Dos 16 embarazos, estamos vivos cinco.

You can imagine as a child what I went through.

Poden imaxinar polo que tiven que pasar cando era nena.

Day to day, I watched women

Diariamente, vía mulleres

being carried to a graveyard,

sendo transportadas ao cemiterio,

or watched children going to a graveyard.

ou a nenos sendo levados a unha tumba.

At that time, when I finished my high school,

Naquel momento, cando rematei o instituto,

I really wanted to be a doctor.

de veras quería ser doutora.

I wanted to be a doctor to help women and children.

Quería ser doutora para axudar a mulleres e nenos.

So I completed my education,

Así que finalicei a miña educación,

but I wanted to go to university.

mais desexaba ir á universidade.

Unfortunately, in my country, there wasn't a dormitory for girls,

Desgrazadamente, no meu país, non había praza para mulleres nas residencias

so I was accepted in medical school, but I could not go there.

polo que, aínda que me aceptaron na facultade de medicina, non podía ir.

So as a result, my father sent me to America.

Como consecuencia, meu pai envioume a América.

I came to America.

Vin para América.

I completed my education.

Rematei os meus estudos.

While I was completing my education,

Mentres remataba a miña educación,

my country was invaded by Russia.

Rusia invadiu o meu país.

And do you know that at the time I was completing my education,

Saben? Cando estaba a rematar a miña formación,

I didn't know what was going on with my family or with my country.

descoñecía o que lles estaba a acontecer á miña familia e ao meu país.

There were months, years, I didn't know about it.

Pasaron meses, anos, e eu non tiña noticias.

My family was in a refugee camp.

A miña familia atopábase nun campo de refuxiados.

So as soon as I completed my education,

Por iso, en canto rematei os estudos,

I brought my family to America.

trouxen a miña familia a América.

I wanted them to be safe.

Quería que estivesen a salvo.

But where was my heart?

Pero, onde estaba o meu corazón?

My heart was in Afghanistan.

O meu corazón estaba en Afganistán.

Day after day, when I listened to the news,

Todos os días, cando escoitaba as noticias,

when I followed what was going on with my country,

cando seguía o que acontecía no meu país,

my heart was breaking up.

partíaseme o corazón.

I really wanted to go back to my country,

Eu desexaba volver ao meu país,

but at the same time I knew I could not go there,

pero, ao mesmo tempo, sabía que non podía ir

because there was no place for me.

porque alí non había lugar para min.

I had a good job.

Tiña un bo traballo.

I was a professor at a university.

Era profesora nunha universidade.

I earned good money.

Gañaba ben.

I had a good life.

Tiña unha boa vida.

My family was here.

A miña familia estaba aquí.

I could live with them.

Podía vivir con eles.

But I wasn't happy.

Así e todo, non era feliz.

I wanted to go back home.

Quería regresar ao meu fogar.

So I went to the refugee camp.

Así que marchei ao campo de refuxiados.

And when I went to the refugee camp in Pakistan,

E cando cheguei ao campo de refuxiados de Paquistán,

there were 7.5 million refugees.

había sete millóns e medio de refuxiados.

7.5 million refugees.

Sete millóns e medio de refuxiados.

About 90 percent of them were women and children.

Deles, preto do 90 % eran mulleres e nenos.

Most of the men have been killed or they were in war.

A maioría dos homes ou morreran na guerra ou estaban nela.

And you know, in the refugee camp,

E saben? no campo de refuxiados,

when I went day-to-day to do a survey,

cando facía os informes diarios,

I found things you never could imagine.

topeime con cousas que non imaxinan.

I saw a widow with five to eight children

Vin unha viúva con entre cinco e oito nenos,

sitting there and weeping

alí sentada, chorando,

and not knowing what to do.

sen saber que facer.

I saw a young woman have no way to go anywhere,

Vin unha muller nova que non tiña onde ir,

no education, no entertainment, no place to even live.

sen estudos, nin ingresos, nin un lugar no que vivir.

I saw young men that had lost their father and their home,

Vin rapaces que perderan os seus pais, os seus fogares

and they are supporting the family as a 10-to-12-year old boy --

e que con dez ou doce anos, tiñan que sacar adiante as súas familias,

being the head of the household,

ser os cabeza de familia

trying to protect their sister and their mother and their children.

e intentar protexer as súas irmás, as súas nais e os nenos.

So it was a very devastating situation.

A situación era absolutamente desoladora.

My heart was beating for my people,

O meu corazón sofría pola miña xente

and I didn't know what to do.

e non sabía que facer.

At that moment, we talk about momentum.

Nese momento, séntese un impulso.

At that moment, I felt, what can I do for these people?

Nese momento, eu sentía: que podo facer por estas persoas?

How could I help these people?

Como podo axudalas?

I am one individual. What can I do for them?

Son unha soa persoa, que podo facer por eles?

But at that moment, I knew

Pero nese momento, eu sabía

that education changed my life.

que a educación cambiara a miña vida.

It transformed me. It gave me status.

Transformoume. Ofreceume unha posición.

It gave me confidence. It gave me a career.

Deume confianza. Proporcionoume unha carreira.

It helped me to support my family,

Axudoume a sacar adiante a miña familia,

to bring my family to another country,

a levar a miña familia a outro país,

to be safe.

para que estivesen a salvo.

And I knew that at that moment

E naquel momento souben que

that what I should give to my people is education and health,

o que lle debía proporcionar á miña xente era educación e saúde

and that's what I went after.

e iso foi o que intentei conseguir.

But do you think it was easy?

Pero pensan que foi sinxelo?

No, because at that time, education was banned for girls, completely.

Pois non, porque, daquela, as mulleres non tiñan acceso á educación.

And also, by Russia invading Afghanistan,

Ademais, tras a invasión de Rusia en Afganistán,

people were not trusting anyone.

a xente xa non confiaba en ninguén.

It was very hard to come and say, "I want to do this."

Era moi difícil chegar e dicir "Quero facer isto".

Who am I?

Quen son eu?

Somebody who comes from the United States.

Alguén que vén dos Estados Unidos.

Somebody who got educated here.

Alguén que se educou aquí.

Did they trust me? Of course not.

Confiaban en min? Por suposto que non.

So I really needed to build the trust in this community.

Por iso, o que realmente precisaba era gañar a confianza desta comunidade.

How am I going to do that?

Como vou facelo?

I went and surveyed and looked and looked.

Fun, documenteime, observei e observei.

I asked.

Fixen preguntas.

Finally, I found one man.

Á fin, atopei un home.

He was 80 years old.

Tiña 80 anos.

He was a mullah.

Era un mulá.

I went to his tent in the camp,

Fun á súa tenda no campamento

and I asked him,

e fíxenlle a proposta,

"I want to make you a teacher."

"Quero converterte nun profesor".

And he looked at me,

E miroume,

and he said, "Crazy woman,

e dixo "Tola,

crazy woman, how do you think I can be a teacher?"

tola, como pensa que eu podo ser profesor?"

And I told him, "I will make you a teacher."

E respondinlle, "Farei de vostede un profesor".

Finally, he accepted my offer,

Finalmente, aceptou a miña oferta

and once I started a class in his compound,

e, en canto comecei cunha clase no seu recinto,

the word spread all over.

correuse a voz.

In a matter of one year,

En cousa dun ano,

we had 25 schools set up,

tiñamos 25 escolas instaladas,

15,000 children going to school,

15 000 nenos indo á escola,

and it was amazing.

e era incrible.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

Thank you.

Grazas.

Thank you.

Grazas.

But of course, we're doing all our work, we were giving teacher training.

Por suposto, estabamos a facer o noso traballo, formando profesores.

We were training women's rights, human rights, democracy, rule of law.

Formando en dereitos das mulleres, dereitos humanos, democracia e leis.

We were giving all kinds of training.

Ofreciamos todo tipo de formación.

And one day, I tell you,

E un día, saiban que,

one day I was in the office in Peshawar, Pakistan.

un día, estaba eu na oficina en Peshawar, Paquistán,

All of a sudden, I saw my staff running to rooms and locking the doors

e, de súpeto, vin que todo o meu persoal corría aos cuartos e pechaba as portas

and telling me, "Run away, hide!"

e dicíanme: "Fuxe, agóchate!"

And you know, as a leader, what do you do?

E díganme, sendo a líder, que se fai?

You're scared. You know it's dangerous.

Tes medo. Sabes que é perigoso.

You know your life is on the line.

Sabes que a túa vida está en xogo.

But as a leader, you have to hold it together.

Pero como líder, tes que manter a compostura.

You have to hold it together and show strength.

Tes que manter a compostura e mostrar fortaleza.

So I said, "What's going on?"

Así que preguntei: "Que ocorre?"

And these people were pouring into my office.

E esas persoas acudían en masa á miña oficina.

So I invited them to the office.

Polo que as convidei a entrar na oficina.

They came, and there were nine of them -- nine Taliban.

Viñeron. Eran nove, nove talibáns.

They were the ugliest looking men you can ever see.

Eran os homes máis horrorosas que poidan ver nunca.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Very mean-looking people,

Xente cunha facha malvada,

black clothes, black turban,

roupa negra, turbante negro,

and they pour into my office.

e entraron en masa na miña oficina.

And I invited them to have a seat and have tea.

E convideinos a sentar e tomar un té.

They said no. They are not going to drink tea.

Negáronse. Non ían tomar té.

And of course, with the tone of voice they were using,

E, por suposto, o ton de voz que empregaban

it was very scary,

daba moito medo,

but I was really shaking up.

e eu estaba verdadeiramente afectada.

But also I was strong, holding myself up.

Pero, ao mesmo tempo, mantívenme firme.

And, of course, by that time, you know how I dress --

E, claro, naquel momento, xa ven como visto,

I dress from head to toe in a black hijab.

cuberta de pés a cabeza por un hijab negro,

The only thing you could see, my eyes.

o único que se me vía eran os ollos.

They asked me, "What are you doing?

Preguntáronme: "Que fai?"

Don't you know that school is banned for girls?

"Non sabe que a escola estalles prohibida ás mulleres?"

What are you doing here?"

"Que fan aquí?"

And you know, I just looked at them,

E, saben? mireinos

and I said, "What school? Where is the school?"

e respondín: "Que escola?, onde está a escola?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

And they look at my face, and they said, "You are teaching girls here."

E miráronme á cara e dixeron: "Aquí ensina rapazas" .

I said, "This is a house of somebody.

Eu respondín: "Está é a casa de alguén.

We have some students coming,

Veñen algúns estudantes.

and they are all learning Koran, Holy Book.

Todos aprenden o Corán, o libro sagrado.

And you know, Koran says that if you learn the Holy Book, the woman,

Saben? O Corán di que se estudan o libro sagrado

they can be a good wife,

as mulleres poden ser boas esposas

and they can obey their husband."

e poden obedecer os seus maridos."

(Laughter)

(Risos)

And I tell you one thing:

E dígolles unha cousa:

that's the way you work with those people, and you know --

así é como se trata con esa xente.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So by that time, they started speaking Pashto.

Naquel momento, puxéronse a falar pashtu.

They talked to each other,

Falaban entre eles

and they said, "Let's go, leave her alone, she's OK."

e dicían "Vámonos, deixémola, está ben".

And you know, this time, I offered them tea again,

E saben? Entón ofrecinlles té outra vez

and they took a sip and they left.

e tomaron un grolo e riron.

By that time, my staff poured into my office.

Daquela o meu persoal acudiu en masa á miña oficina.

They were scared to death.

Estaban mortos de medo.

They didn't know why they didn't kill me.

Non sabían por que non me mataran.

They didn't know why they didn't take me away.

Non sabían por que non me levaran con eles.

But everybody was happy to see me.

Con todo, todos estaban alegres de verme.

Very happy, and I was happy to be alive, of course.

Moi contentos e, por suposto, eu estaba feliz de estar viva.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

Of course, I was happy to be alive.

Por suposto, alegrábame de estar viva.

But also, as we continuously gave training during the fall of the Taliban --

Pero, tamén, ao seguirmos educando durante a caída dos Talibáns,

of course during the Taliban there is another story.

cando os Talibáns tiñan o poder era outra historia.

We went underground and we provided education for 80 schoolgirls,

Xuntabámonos na clandestinidade e ensinabamos a 80 rapazas,

3,000 students underground, and continuously we trained.

3 000 estudantes clandestinos, aos que educabamos sen cesar.

With the fall of the Taliban, we went into the country,

Coa caída dos Talibáns, fomos polo país

and we opened school after school.

e abrimos unha escola tras outra.

We opened women's learning center.

Abrimos centros de ensino para mulleres.

We continuously opened clinics.

Abrimos clínicas sen parar.

We worked with mothers and children.

Traballamos con mulleres e nenos.

We had reproductive health training.

Educabamos sobre saúde reprodutiva.

We had all kinds of training that you can imagine.

Ofreciamos cantos tipos de formación poidan imaxinar.

I was very happy. I was delighted with the outcome of my work.

Eu era moi feliz. Estaba encantada co resultado do meu traballo.

And one day, with four trainers and one bodyguard,

E un día, cando ía con catro educadores e cun garda,

I was going up north of Kabul,

dirixíndome ao norte de Cabul,

and all of a sudden, again,

de súpeto, unha vez máis,

I was stopped in the middle of the road

detivéronme no medio da estrada,

by 19 young men.

fixérono 19 rapaces.

Rifles on their shoulders, they blocked the road.

Con rifles ao lombo, bloquearon a estrada.

And I told my driver, "What's going on?"

Pregunteille ao meu condutor que pasaba

And the driver said, "I don't know."

e respondeume: "Non o sei."

He asked them. They said, "We have nothing to do with you."

Preguntoulles e dixeron "Non ten nada que ver contigo".

They called my name. They said, "We want her."

Pronunciaron o meu nome e dixeron: "Querémola a ela".

My bodyguard got out, said, "I can answer you.

O meu garda saíu e dixo: "Eu podo respondervos.

What do you want?"

Que queredes?"

They said, "Nothing." They called my name.

Eles dixeron que nada e chamáronme.

And by that time, the women are yelling and screaming inside the car.

Naquel momento, as mulleres berraban dentro do coche.

I am very shaken up, and I told myself, this is it.

Estou moi afectada e dígome: "Esta é a fin".

This time, we all are going to be killed.

Esta vez, vannos matar a todos.

There is no doubt in my mind.

Non tiña ningunha dúbida.

But still, the moment comes, and you take strength

Pero aínda así, cando o momento chega, sacas forzas

from whatever you believe and whatever you do.

de todo no que cres e do que fas.

It's in your heart.

Está no teu corazón.

You believe in your worth, and you can walk on it.

Confías na túa valía e podes seguir grazas a iso.

So I just hold myself on the side of the car.

Así que me apoiei nun lado do coche.

My leg was shaking, and I got outside.

A miña perna tremía e saín do coche.

And I asked them, "What can I do for you?"

Pregunteilles: "En que podo axudalos?"

You know what they said to me?

Saben o que me responderon?

They said, "We know who you are.

Dixeron: "Sabemos quen é.

We know where you are going.

Sabemos a onde vai.

Every day you go up north here and there.

Anda todos os días dun lugar a outro.

You train women, you teach them

Ensina mulleres, edúcaas

and also you give them an opportunity to have a job.

e tamén lles dá a oportunidade de ter un traballo.

You build their skills. How about us?"

Adéstraas. Que pasa con nosoutros?"

(Laughter)

(Risos)

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

"And you know, how about us?

"E que pasa con nosoutros?

What are we going to do?"

Que imos facer nós?"

I looked at them, and I said, "I don't know."

Mireinos e repondín: "Non sei".

(Laughter)

(Risos)

They said, "It's OK.

Dixeron: "Está ben.

The only thing we can do, what we know,

Que saibamos, o único que podemos facer,

from the time we're born, we just hold the gun and kill.

polo tempo no que nos tocou vivir, é suxeitar unha arma e matar.

That's all we know."

Non sabemos máis".

And you know what that means.

E xa saben o que significa.

It's a trap to me, of course.

Obviamente, era unha trampa.

So I walk out of there. They said, "We'll let you go, go."

Entón afasteime e dixeron "Deixarémola marchar, marche".

And so I walked into the car, I sit in the car,

E entrei no coche, sentei,

and I told the driver, "Turn around and go back to the office."

e díxenlle ao condutor: dá volta e regresa á oficina".

At that time, we only were supporting girls.

Daquela, soamente axudabamos mulleres.

We only had money for women to train them,

Só tiñamos cartos para ensinalas a elas,

to send them to school, and nothing else.

para mandalas á escola, e nada máis.

By the time I came to the office,

Cando cheguei á oficina,

of course my trainers were gone.

obviamente todos os educadores marcharan.

They ran away home. Nobody stayed there.

Fuxiran ás súas casas. Ninguén quedou.

My bodyguard was the only one there,

O meu garda era o único que estaba alí

and my voice was completely gone.

e eu quedara sen voz.

I was shaken up, and I sat on my table,

Estaba conmocionada, sentada na miña mesa,

and I said, "What am I going to do?"

e dixen: "Que vou facer?"

How am I going to solve this problem?

"Como vou solucionar este problema?"

Because we had training going on up north already.

Porque xa ofreciamos educación no norte.

Hundreds of women were there coming to get training.

Centos de mulleres viñan para que as ensinásemos.

So I was sitting there, all of a sudden, at this moment,

Así que estaba alí sentada e, de súpeto, agora,

talking about momentum, we are,

estamos aquí falando sobre impulsos,

at that moment,

porque, naquel momento,

one of my wonderful donors called me about a report.

unha das miñas marabillosas doantes pediume un informe.

And she asked me, "Sakena?" And I answered her.

E chamoume: "Sakena?". E respondín.

She said, "It's not you. What's wrong with you?"

Dixo: "Non es ti. Que che pasa?"

I said, "Nothing." I tried to cover.

Dixen: "Nada". Intentei disimular.

No matter what I tried to do, she didn't believe me,

Era igual o que lle dixese, non me cría

and she asked me again.

e seguía a preguntar.

"OK, tell me what's going on?"

"Vale, dime que está pasando".

I told her the whole story.

Conteille toda a historia.

At that time, she said, "OK, you go next time, and you will help them.

Entón, dixo: "Vale, para a próxima, vas e axúdalos a eles.

You will help them."

Axúdaos".

And when, two days later, I went the same route,

E cando, dous días despois, fixen o mesmo camiño,

and do you know, they were not in here,

saben que? non estaban alí,

they were a little back further,

estaban un pouco máis lonxe,

the same young men, standing up there and holding the rifle

os mesmos rapaces, alí de pé, suxeitando o rifle

and pointing to us to stop the car.

e apuntándonos para deter o coche.

So we stopped the car.

Así que parei o coche.

I got out. I said, "OK, let's go with me."

Saín e dixen: "Está ben, vide comigo".

And they said, "Yes."

E responderon: "Si".

I said, "On one condition, that whatever I say, you accept it."

E dixen: "Cunha condición: que aceptedes todo o que eu diga".

And they said, yes, they do.

E aceptaron.

So I took them to the mosque,

Así que os levei á mesquita

and to make a long story short,

e para resumir,

I told them I'd give them teachers.

díxenlles que ía poñerlles profesores.

Today, they are the best trainers.

Agora, eles son os mellores educadores.

They learn English,

Aprenden inglés,

they learn how to be teachers,

aprenden como ser profesores,

they learn computers,

aprenden informática

and they are my guides.

e son os meus guías.

Every area that is unknown to us in the mountain areas,

A todas as áreas que non coñecemos, nas zonas de montaña,

they go with me. They are ahead, and we go.

eles veñen comigo. Eles van diante e imos.

And they protect us.

E protéxennos.

And --

E...

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

Thank you.

Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

That tells you that education transforms people.

Iso proba que a educación cambia as persoas.

When you educate people,

Cando educas as persoas,

they are going to be different,

elas cambian

and today all over,

e, na actualidade,

we need to work for gender equality.

precisamos traballar pola igualdade.

We cannot only train women but forget about the men,

Non se pode educar as mulleres e esquecerse dos homes,

because the men are the real people who are giving women the hardest time.

porque os homes son as persoas que llelo poñen máis difícil ás mulleres.

(Laughter)

(Risos)

So we started training men because the men should know

Por iso comezamos a educalos, porque deben ser conscientes

the potential of women,

do potencial das mulleres,

know how much these potential men has,

saber canto dese potencial teñen os homes

and how much these women can do the same job they are doing.

e que esas mulleres poden desempeñar os mesmos traballos que teñen eles.

So we are continuously giving training to men,

Así que formamos homes continuamente

and I really believe strongly.

e creo profundamente

I live in a country that was a beautiful country.

que vivo nun país que era fermoso.

I just want to share this with you.

Soamente quero compartir isto.

It was a beautiful country,

Era un país fermoso,

beautiful, peaceful country.

fermoso e pacífico.

We were going everywhere.

Iamos a todas as partes.

Women were getting education:

As mulleres recibían educación:

lawyer, engineer, teacher,

avogadas, enxeñeiras, profesoras...

and we were going from house to house.

E iamos dunha casa á outra.

We never locked our doors.

Non pechabamos as portas.

But you know what happened to my country.

Pero xa saben que lle pasou ao meu país.

Today, people cannot walk out of their door without security issues.

Agora, non se pode saír sen problemas de seguridade.

But we want the same Afghanistan we had before.

Pero aínda queremos o Afganistán de antes.

And I want to tell you the other side.

E quero contarlles a outra parte.

Today, the women of Afghanistan are working very, very hard.

Agora, as mulleres de Afganistán traballan moi, moi duro.

They are earning degrees. They are training to be lawyers.

Gradúanse. Fórmanse para ser avogadas.

They are training to be doctors, back again.

Estudan para ser doutoras, outra vez.

They are training to be teachers,

Estudan para ser profesoras

and they are running businesses.

e dirixen negocios.

So it is so wonderful

Así que é marabilloso

to see people like that reach their complete potential,

ver como as persoas empregan todo o seu potencial

and all of this is going to happen.

e todo isto vai ocorrer.

I want to share this with you,

Quero compartilo con vostedes

because of love,

polo amor,

because of compassion,

pola compaixón,

and because of trust and honesty.

pola confianza e pola honestidade.

If you have these few things with you,

Se teñen estas cousas,

you will accomplish.

terán éxito.

We have one poet, Mawlānā Rūmī.

Temos un poeta, Mawlānā Rūmī.

He said that by having compassion

El dixo que se se ten compaixón

and having love, you can conquer the world.

e se se ten amor, pódese conquistar o mundo.

And I tell you, we could.

E dígolles, nós puidemos.

And if we could do it in Afghanistan,

E se nós puidemos en Afganistán,

I am sure 100 percent that everyone can do it in any part of the world.

estou segura ao 100 por cento que calquera pode conseguilo en todo o mundo.

Thank you very, very much.

Grazas, moitas, moitas grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)

Thank you. Thank you.

Grazas. Grazas.

(Applause)

(Aplausos)