Susanna Fioretti, the founder of an Italian aid organization, has revealed that she established a secret school for women in Afghanistan after the Taliban's return to power and, after two years, discovered that daughters of some Taliban members were among the students.
Ms. Fioretti, founder of the "Nove Caring Humans" organization, told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that the parents of these girls wanted their children to be educated. This indicates the existence of differing views even among families affiliated with the Taliban.
She explained that she decided to launch the secret school after the Taliban government banned higher education for women. According to Fioretti, classes were held in a room that also contained sewing machines. The plan was to hide notebooks and pens and have the students pretend to be sewing if Taliban forces conducted an inspection.
Fioretti noted that no Taliban forces came to inspect the location during the first two years. After some time, she realized that a number of the students were daughters of Taliban members. When asked if they were spies, she replied, "No, they were the daughters of Taliban members. Their fathers and mothers wanted them to study."
The Italian aid worker believes that not all individuals affiliated with the Taliban share the same views, and some secretly try to change restrictions they deem incorrect. She also emphasized that the secret school operated under serious risks, and reporting it to the morality police could have had severe consequences.
Fioretti also spoke about her efforts to create economic opportunities for Afghan women. Through dialogue and compromise, she managed to gain the approval of Taliban officials to launch a program honoring women entrepreneurs. According to her, the Taliban eventually agreed to the program after she explained that women's economic activity could generate income for the country. An awards ceremony for the winning women was even attended by a Taliban minister.
Source: Corriere della Sera newspaper
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