Sana Stanikzai arrived in the US in December of 2024. She was born in Logar, Afghanistan, and grew up in Kabul. Before coming to the US, Sana and her family first went to Qatar, where they lived in a refugee camp. When she arrived in Fairfax, Virginia, Sana was pleased to discover Mountain View High School where she is currently working towards a high school diploma.
“When girls’ schools were closed (in Afghanistan),” she said, “I lost several years of learning and had to stay home. Writing became a way for me to express my pain, my hopes, and my dreams. After coming to the United States, I realized that my story could help others understand what Afghan girls go through. Writing helps me turn my difficult experience into something meaningful and powerful. I was inspired to write about my journey because education was taken away from me in Afghanistan.”
Teachers report that Sana has improved her English fluency and writing with great dedication. Mike Hardy, Journalism Teacher, says, “Although she is soft spoken, her English fluency and her writing skills have progressed phenomenally.” Jennifer Crump-Strawderman, Director of Student Services, spoke in glowing terms of Sana’s writing progress and expressed how she truly relished the opportunity to learn and grow.
Sana reports that she stepped out of her comfort zone to write an article in the Mountain View Mirror, entitled “From Hope to Deprivation: The Story of Education”. The article describes the promise and the pain of Afghan girls whose educational opportunities were ruthlessly taken away. Sana has also written privately about her own family’s story and her journey to the U.S.
She plans to increase her publication portfolio on critical issues of peace and justice, using the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to ground her work. These include 17 global goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Sana explains, “I encourage peace by sharing my story honestly. When classmates or teachers hear my story, they better understand why education and equality matter. Peace starts when people listen to each other and feel empathy. My story helps create that understanding.”
Her main goal is to improve her English and continue her education. “I will use my voice to support girls’ education and women’s rights. Learning, growing, and sharing my story is a form of peace work for me. I want to keep using my experience to help others understand and care.”