Think of Malala Yousafzai as an example of a determined trailblazer who is also kind and avoids the spotlight whenever possible. They go about their ground-breaking work in a stealthy manner that is no less amazing for it. One of them is named Fatima. An outdoor adventure company that offers trips to some of the globe’s most intriguing and unreachable places has chosen to acknowledge her for International Women’s Day. Her last name is being kept a secret to protect her privacy, but the corporation has decided to highlight her accomplishments.
In a nation that struggles with low literacy rates, limited job prospects for women, and a women ‘s freedoms record that falls short of expectations, Fatima is the nation’s first female travel guide. Despite this, this former shepherd herder is now part of the crew at the travel agency “Untamed borders”. Untamed borders is an upmarket travel agency that specializes in guiding small numbers of adventurous tourists off the beaten track.
Surprisingly, Fatima only took her first group of their travelers to Herat in the year 2020, in the midst of the increased pressures of COVID-19. In the history of the Islamic world, the city played an important role as the core of academic and artistic activity. It is situated on the old trade routes that connected Asia to the Middle East and Central Asia. In modern times, it has developed into a considerable local center in western Afghanistan, close to the international boundaries with Iran and Turkmenistan.
Fatima is a child of seven siblings, the majority of whom have not been given the chance to forge their unique trajectories in life. Two of her sisters got married when they were in their adolescent years, but she made the decision that she did not want to “babysit a husband” and instead wanted to pursue her career. CNN cites statistics from the United Nations that show only 19% of working-age women in this country have jobs outside the home. This fact alone makes her decision extremely unique and unheard of.
Fatima is the sole one of her siblings, both sisters, and brothers, to have completed her education. This is another one of her merits. She was able to convince her parents to let her attend classes using the money she earned from herding sheep despite the fact that there was no schooling available for girls in the community in which she was raised.
More recently, Fatima improved her English by tuning in to BBC radio while she was hiking in the hills. She was able to pick up the signal when she was high enough. And it was this enthusiasm for the English language that helped lead her to pursue a new career path, one that not only had the backing of her mother but also of her father.
Fatima did not grow up with the goal of having a career in tourism; one might wonder, then, how she made the connection. She desired to reach out to people all over the world to show a different version of her nation, one that was not connected to war, that was the initial impetus for everything that followed.
She became a member of Facebook historical groups and highlighted locations in Afghanistan that visitors from other countries might not be familiar with. Therefore, this young woman was inspired to engage in conversation with tourists, to begin guiding, and, ultimately, to make contact with members of the Untamed borders. Her guidance is highly valued by the staff, as is the personal perspective she provides on living as an Afghan woman that she shares with guests.
It should come as no surprise that this is a company with principles, as evidenced by the mission statement, which reads as follows: “Our goal is to add beneficial impact to the areas we visit.” By staying in hotels owned and operated by locals and by employing local drivers and suppliers, we make sure that as much of the money we spend as possible is distributed directly to the residents of that region. It’s possible that tourism on a smaller scale won’t alter the course of history, but the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Fatima explains, “At first, I believed that Afghanistan wasn’t a safe environment for a woman to work as a local guide; however, as time went on, I came to the realization that it is up to me to generate this secure environment for other women.”
In addition to caring for herself, Fatima has plans to make the future of the next generation of Afghans much more promising. Her work as a tour guide has not only increased the meager income of her extended family but also enabled more of them to pursue education. She is now enrolled at Herat University to pursue a degree in journalism. This kind and generous woman also works as a teacher in a school for girls who are refugees. Fatima explains, “I am currently the first female tour guide in Afghanistan; however, I do not wish to be the last!”
