Sakena Yacoobi

Afghan educator revolutionizing girls' education under Taliban oppression

Dr. Sakena Yacoobi (b. 1950) founded the Afghan Institute of Learning (AIL) in 1995, secretly educating 3,000 girls during Taliban rule by disguising schools as sewing classes. A refugee from Soviet-era Afghanistan, she returned after earning a US degree to rebuild her nation through education.

Her 'underground railroads of learning' included mobile libraries and radio-based lessons. Post-2001, AIL expanded to 450+ centers, training 20,000 teachers. Yacoobi integrated UNICEF-backed health education, reducing maternal mortality in served regions by 43%.

Recognized by the Ashoka Foundation as a 'changemaker,' her model inspired Pakistan's Malala Fund. In her words: 'When you educate a woman, you educate a family. When you educate a girl, you change a community.' Despite 2021’s Taliban resurgence, Yacoobi continues operating through decentralized networks, proving resilience in crisis.