By Parastou Ashori; Edited by Abbi Holt

Photo: Laura Everett; Refugee soccer tournament Foladi and Zafari attended hosted by Soccer Without Borders a charity they have been involved with since arriving whose mission it is to help refugees settle and build community through soccer.  

In the midst of turmoil, two young Afghan women, Fatima Foladi and Sohaila Zafari, found themselves fleeing their homeland to escape the oppressive rule of the Taliban. Landing in Boston, they discovered not just a new home, but a haven where their dreams could flourish. 

In the rugged terrain of Daykundi province, Fatima Foladi, born in 2005, discovered her love for sports, playing volleyball with her older sister. The dusty backyard of their house  served as the canvas for their imagination, painted in energetic rallies and serves. 

Foladi’s journey took a decisive turn when her family moved to Kabul during her sixth grade year. In the bustling capital, she found her way to the Adalat sports club to play volleyball. However, fate had a different plan for her and she ended up discovering her passion for the beautiful game on Adalat’s soccer field. Her prowess led her to the Afghan national women’s soccer team. “I was very happy to hear that I got an invitation to the national team, but I was very nervous too, because I was not sure if my family would allow me to participate as it was very difficult for women to be a part of a big sport team because of security situation,” Foladi says, “luckily they accepted.” Afghanistan was not a safe place even at that time, before the Taliban took power, with many targeted attacks against women who were active in society, such as women athletes, journalists, and artists. Families were often afraid to allow their female relatives to be active and pursue their interests, fearing they might become victims of the Taliban’s violence.

Undeterred by the challenges, Foldai became an integral part of the national team, her skills shining on the field. In June 2021, she etched her name in the annals of Afghan  women’s soccer history, scoring her first national goal against Tajikistan’s under-17 soccer team.  

Her story converges here, on the national team, with Sohaila Zafari, a spirited soul born in 2007 in neighboring Pakistan. Zafari’s love affair with soccer began kicking the ball around with her brother. Upon settling in Kabul, Zafari doggedly chased her dream through various soccer clubs, including the esteemed Tawana sports club. Finally, during a game at Tawana, the Afghan national soccer team staff spotted her talents and selected her for the under-15 national team.  

Foladi And Zafari’s joy on the national stage, however, was short-lived as the ominous shadow of the Taliban engulfed Afghanistan in August 2021. Faced with the stark reality that there was now no safety anywhere in the country for young female athletes, both Foladi and Zafari made the courageous decision to flee. 

In the late summer of 2021, Foladi and her sister, filled with fear, made their way to the crowded Kabul International Airport, where people were desperately trying to flee the country. They presented their membership cards from the national soccer team to the U.S. military, who assisted them in boarding a plane bound for the United States, ensuring their safe escape. 

Zafari and her sister Samira fled the country in October 2021 with the help of FIFA, the International Federation of Association Football, first seeking refuge in Qatar for 40 days before finding shelter in Albania. For two challenging years, she navigated life in a refugee camp in Albania, unable to attend school officially but finding solace in playing soccer with other refugees. Their journey led them to Boston in the summer of 2023, with the assistance of FIFA, where they began to rebuild their lives and reconnected with Foladi.

In Boston, Zafari and Foladi embraced their lives in High School. “My school soccer team is a very strong team. I do practice with them every day and I learn new things and enjoy playing soccer with my teammates.” Foldai says. They are both grateful for the safety to attend school and the freedom to play soccer, a stark contrast to the oppressive existence faced by women in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s rule. “I am very happy and grateful that I could find a place to play soccer again” Zafari says. Here, in Boston, their dreams unfold in a world where education, work, and sports, are not just aspirations, but cherished realities.

Zafari envisions herself donning the jersey of the US national soccer team within the  next 5 to 10 years. “It’s my dream to play in the US soccer team,” she shares with unwavering determination. Meanwhile, Foladi interweaves her passion for soccer with academic pursuits, aiming to become a professional soccer player and engineer. “I have filled applications for Suffolk University for the fall semester of 2024; I hope I will get accepted,” she says. 

Having risked everything to play soccer and then again to flee their homes, these young Afghan women are not about to stop now.  As members of their school’s soccer teams, their days are now filled with the joy of learning and the thrill of the game.  We can’t wait to see where their unwavering determination takes them next. 

You can follow the author, Parastou Ashori, on Instagram at ashoriparastou. She was born in the beautiful province of Badakhshan, Afghanistan. She arrived in the US in 2022, and is enrolled in Suffolk University, where she is pursuing her passion for journalism. She is very interested in the art of storytelling, and is particularly drawn to sharing the experiences of Afghan women and the vibrant tapestry of her homeland. She is dedicated to being the voice of voiceless Afghan women, shedding light on their stories and advocating for their rights.