An Afghan woman who aspired to become a business executive says 'now my dream in Afghanistan is to stay alive' after Taliban takeover

• An Afghan woman who was on track to become a business executive has abandoned her dream.
• Sajida, 23, told the Washington Post that the only thing she thinks about now is staying alive in Taliban-run Afghanistan.

An Afghan woman who once aspired to become a business executive in Afghanistan now says her dream has changed: The only thing she wants today is to stay alive.

Sajida, a 23-year-old woman from Kabul, told the Washington Post that she expected to receive her diploma. But university classes came to an abrupt end on August 16 — just one day after the Taliban took over Afghanistan. Class closures prevented Sajida from continuing with her studies and receiving a master's degree, she told the Post.

Sajida recalled to the Post an email she received from her professor, who said he's as worried about his students "as I am about my own family."

The Taliban reclaimed control of Afghanistan following President Joe Biden's decision to withdraw US troops from the region. In its takeover, the Taliban renamed the country the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, reverting back to the same name used during the last time the regime took power in 1996.

Under the Taliban's rule at that time, women were severely oppressed, facing restrictions like being barred from working or attending schools.

Last year, the militant group promised to respect women's rights "within Islamic law," but human rights activists, Afghan women, and the White House have been skeptical.

Women have said for months they fear that they'll face harsh consequences under the Taliban's rule. And women like Sajida, who had dreams of becoming a prominent business executive in Afghanistan, are already experiencing dramatic changes in their lifestyles.

Sajida told the Post that since the Taliban took control of the country, her dream has morphed. "Now my dream in Afghanistan is to stay alive," she said. "My family and my safety is important for me."

Sajida, who is employed at a nongovernmental organization that offers educational and care services to pregnant women, said she now spends most of her time at home while her brothers attend school.

She can't go into the office without a male escort. In a bid for normalcy, she went into the office in November, with her father as her escort.

"I am afraid to travel alone," Sajida told the Post.

The takeover has shifted her mentality and goals, she said.

"I am lost. I have lost my motivation and energy I had before," she said, according to the Post. "Now, I just think of peace and security."