By Shelby Brooks
Tucked away high in the mountain region of central Afghanistan, Hazara women and girls were learning to read and write thanks to a Cranbourne East woman.
Lida Hazara, founder and president of Women for Change, together with the many organisation members has spent the last three years raising money to fund teachers for the community in which she grew up.
“Women for Change, it means women can bring change too,” Lida said.
“In Afghanistan, until the Americans came, we didn’t have authority to study. Hazaras, maybe they did in their small village, but no one let us go to university.
“My charity that we have run, it was in the middle of the mountains.
“For those girls, they had never seen education before. They were so excited, so motivated. Their dreams were to be a doctor, a lawyer, someone. But now, all their dreams are gone.”
Lida, along with Mariam Madadi, Zakia Hasan, Nasima Kakai, Zakia Baig, Nazifa Saifi, Fahima Saifi and Shukria Alami have also been working hard since 2019 to raise money for carpet-weaving workshops for women to “learn and earn” back home in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, Taliban forces overthrew the current government and began persecuting the Hazara minority.
“That’s my pain. At the same time the education that we have provided for 266 girls, they all have vanished. They are also hiding to save their lives,” Lida said.
“My teachers are all hiding. I don’t know until when.”
Unfortunately, it’s something the Hazaras are all too familiar with.
For at least a century, the Hazara people of Afghanistan have been persecuted and killed, yet their pride and determination has never wavered.
“100 years ago a king of Afghanistan killed 63 per cent of Hazaras because we are different race and different belief to them,” Lida explained.
“They are thinking we are from Mongolia but we are not. We have been here before the Mongol came to Afghanistan.
“We cannot hide our appearance. We have small eyes and flat nose. Wherever we go, they know who we are.
“That’s why I think this time the Taliban came, we are going to witness another genocide of Hazaras.”
One of the first things the Taliban did since taking over was to explode a statue of the Hazaras’ leader, Lida said.
“That was a huge message for the world,” Lida said.
“It’s not just about our leader, it’s a message about all Hazaras.”
Lida moved to Australia 10 years ago with her husband, children, brother, sister, mum and dad.
“But my people are still there and the work that I have done in Afghanistan, my colleagues, my coordinator, are like my family members,” Lida said.
“Last week [the coordinator] has been escaping from one place to another place because I think someone told the Taliban he worked with an Australian organisation.
“That’s why he is at risk. It is hurting me a lot. I told him at the beginning, if you work with us, they will never leave you alone.”
Through the charity, Lida also helps Hazara women living in Australia learn skills that could lead them to gain employment.
“Most of the ladies who come to Australia are illiterate, so one of our organisation’s goals is to motivate these ladies that they can learn to read and write and speak English,” Lida said.
“Since we established the charity in 2019, at least 10 to 12 ladies have found a job.
“They are happy with high confidence, they say ‘yes we can!’”
Lida’s love and gratitude for Australia is palpable and she hopes the Australian Government will extend their support to her Hazara community in Afghanistan during this difficult time.
“Australia is a great, great, beautiful country,” she said.
“When someone tells you Australia is a land of opportunity, it is a land of opportunity- it is a heaven if you make it for yourself.
“First, I am so grateful we have a leader like Scott Morrison, I like him, I am proud of him, he is a strong man. He released 3000 visas which is also very good. We appreciate even 3000. But Australia is a big country and Scott Morrison has a big heart, bigger than Australia.
“This land is opportunity for many, this land is plentiful for many people. Now is the time that Mr Morrison show his big heart and how brave he is to settle at least 10,000.”
Lida said all Hazaras currently in Australia were hard working contributors of our society.
“If the Australian government released more visas for minorities, we promise the Australian government we will be loyal citizens of this country,” Lida said.
“Since the Hazara came here, we know every society has good and bad but I have not seen a serious criminal who is a Hazara.
“Hazara men are waking up at 5am and coming home 7pm – most working in construction, seven days a week.
“That’s why I say we are building this country. We are loyal citizens, we love Australia we feel a part of this country.”
On Thursday 19 August, Lida appeared on the ABC television program Q and A, recording a video to ask a question to the panel about the Australian Government accepting more emergency humanitarian visas.
“Unfortunately, I only had 30 seconds to ask the question so I was in a hurry and my video cut off a little bit,” Lida said.
“Still, I am happy at least I have said something. Otherwise my people’s voice is dead.”
