麻豆影视

Canada

    • Girls in Afghanistan continuing their education through activist-run online school

    Share

    It was unusual for Nargis Masoud鈥檚 mother to let her stay awake after 9 p.m., otherwise the Grade 9 student might be late for school the next day. But on March 23 last year, Nargis stayed awake all night, crying.

    Nargis鈥檚 mother informed her earlier that day the Taliban had banned girls from attending school in Afghanistan beyond sixth grade.

    鈥淚 felt heartbroken, and I cried all night. It was like I was not supposed to meet my classmates and teachers again.鈥 Nargis told CTVNews.ca.

    have been deprived of secondary education since the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in August 2021, according to UNICEF. The regime has also banned women from attending university as well as working many jobs. 

    鈥淓ducation is our right, if the Taliban do not let us go to school and continue education, our future will be dark and our country will not improve,鈥 said Nargis.

    But flickers of hope remain. Unable to attend classes in person, the 15-year-old now benefits from an established by a group of volunteer education activists from her hometown of Kabul. 

    鈥淲e have given priority to students higher than Grade 6 and those who鈥檝e been banned from going to school in and out of Afghanistan. Those who are in refugee camps 鈥 boys and girls 鈥 can attend, but in Afghanistan, only girls can join,鈥 said Shakardokht Jafari, one of the organizers of the Education Bridge for Afghanistan (EBA) online school.

    Jafari, who is based in London, U.K., says the reason for establishing the online school is to help girls in Afghanistan continue their education.

    It鈥檚 something she cares about deeply. Jafari was six years old when her family was forced to leave Afghanistan for Iran during the war against the Soviets. In Iran, when she turned 14, her father insisted she get married instead of go to school.

    鈥淚 was lucky that our school principal in Iran mediated and convinced my father to let me continue for one more year,鈥 she said. 鈥淲hen I got permission, I went to the bookstore and bought books for two years.鈥

    She ended up attending university in Tehran and earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree. Eventually, she went on to acquire a PhD in medical physics from Surrey University in the U.K., where she developed an innovative radiation measurement system to aid in cancer care.

    Now, Jafari and the EBA team are trying to seek help from international organizations to create more space for Afghan girls who might benefit from online education. Currently, the online school only has capacity for 1,400 students, and is already full.

    鈥淲e haven鈥檛 been able to pay our teachers and ask them if they can continue with us voluntarily. Only 20 of them agreed. It鈥檚 a big challenge,鈥 said Jafari.

    Although there are a lot of challenges, the EBA team tries to provide students with modern education and prepare them for international exams.

    鈥淲hen I joined, I thought this might not be the same as my usual school, but later I found it very helpful and I鈥檝e learned a lot,鈥 said Freshta Madadi, who along with her sister, Najia Madadi, attend online classes from a refugee camp in Pakistan. 鈥淭he teachers are not focusing only on school subjects like math, physics 鈥 but they also take extra curriculum.鈥

    Seventeen-year-old Freshta and 19-year-old Najia have been attending online classes since April. They started while in Afghanistan and have continued at the refugee camp, which has been their home for more than three months.

    鈥淚 was at school when I heard that the Taliban is now in Kabul and everyone was scared and we were told to go home 鈥 it was the last day of school for us,鈥 said Najia. 鈥淚 had no idea what to do, it was kind of losing my way. After a while, one of my friends said there is an online school for girls that can help us with our studies. It was a kind of hope and a sense of happiness for me.鈥

    Freshta says after the Taliban shut girls out of schools, she 鈥渞epeatedly鈥 went back to her teachers, asking them to let her sit in on classes, before realizing there was nothing they could do.

    鈥淚t was very hard for us. So, we decided to leave Afghanistan and come to Pakistan. We had no other choice. We couldn鈥檛 go out freely, we couldn鈥檛 go to school or university,鈥 said Freshta.

    The Madadi family is waiting for documents to be processed in order to join their father in Australia.

    Freshta says the online school provides her not only a good place to continue her education but an important platform where she can raise her voice and spread awareness about the situation of girls in Afghanistan.

    鈥淚t is, of course, definitely, really sad for every single girl in Afghanistan, but it doesn鈥檛 mean that we give up. This is not the solution, we understand this. I know that every Afghan girl is brave,鈥 said Freshta.

     

    Reporting for this story was paid for through The Afghan Journalists in Residence Project funded by Meta.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

    Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • A pair of 105-mm howitzers bark constantly as they turn plywood tank targets into kindling kilometres away on the windswept landscape of one of Canada's largest military bases.

    • CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • An elementary school in Greenfield Park on Montreal鈥檚 South Shore is closed after it was the target of an alleged arson attack.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • Boasting 2,300 square metres of skating space at its new location, Edmonton's Rollers Roller Rink believes it is the largest in Canada.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • It's been a trip to cherish for a group of Canadians visiting Belgium this week to honour the legacy of Indigenous soldiers.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • The Guelph Police Service is putting out a warning after two deaths in the downtown area.

    • Two new tributes to Canada鈥檚 veterans have been unveiled at the Elmira Cenotaph.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • 11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • The agreed statement of facts was read to the court on Friday in the case of Alex Williams, the 24-year-old jail guard charged last fall with smuggling cannabis and tobacco into Central North Correctional Centre in Penetanguishene.

    • 11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    • Residents in the Sault expressed concerns ranging from vandalism to privacy invasions during recent consultations on the city's plan to install automated speed enforcement cameras.

    N.L.

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视