Studying with a new Afghanistan in view
Posted on: June 29th, 2009 by Marketing and Communications
Despite being uprooted twice from her home in the Afghanistan capital, Kabul, 25-year old Sonia Ziaee has taken the major disruptions to her life and education in her stride. She is now studying for three semesters at Flinders University with funding from the Peace Scholarship Plan.
War in Afghanistan and subsequent tensions with the Taliban regime twice led Sonia’s family to seek refuge in Pakistan, where she completed her schooling.
After returning to Kabul in 2002, Sonia found work training Afghan women in basic computing before taking up an opportunity with software systems firm CISCO to travel to the United States to gain a qualification as an instructor. On her return to Kabul, she established a training program for young women in computing, before taking up a procurement position with a security and logistics firm.
Sonia is studying International Business and Accounting topics at Flinders, and hopes to extend her stay to complete her degree. She also keeps up with her current role as cost controller for the 700-strong company in Kabul via phone and internet links.
While she has ambitions to pursue postgraduate education in America or Europe, Sonia sees her future very much in Afghanistan.
“We have very limited opportunities for businesswomen in Afghanistan: I want to be one of the first,” Sonia said.
Tags: Peace Scholarship Plan
July 1st, 2009 at 9:45 am
As I am offering a number of topics on the Middle East, including substantial amounts on Afghanistan, could this student contact me with a view to her making some contribution in these topics.
A/P Noel Tracy
School of Political and International Studies
Noel.Tracy@flinders.edu.au
tel: (08) 8201 3516
July 1st, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Dear Sonia,
I am, as an Afghan really proud of what you have done so far for Afghanistan and I hope all Afghans follow what are doing in order to build a peaceful environment in our country through education.
Wish you very best of luck!
Ali Behzad,
NCL Logistics
Deputy Budget Director
Kabul-Afghanistan
July 1st, 2009 at 4:43 pm
hi sonia jan.how r u? im roqya doing medical science at flinders uni. im happy that u r studying at this uni. i didn’t know any afghan girl since ive been here so nice to meet u sonia jan. u can email me any time at mohs0003@flinders.edu.au . take care sis jan. hope to see u around at uni. bye
July 2nd, 2009 at 10:23 am
Sonia, well done!
Your nation can celebrate to have someone as you, with this level of commitment to your people.
July 2nd, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Hi Sonia
Nice to know you are studying at my University where i did law in 2004. A good uni. and hope you have lots of fun.
I am a migration lawyer and doing work with some Afghan clients. Helping Hazaras people who are house in Pakistan at the moment.
Plse contact if i can be helpful.
Thanks
July 5th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Dear all,
Thank you very much for your inspirational comments. I really need such support to achieve my goals.
Noel: It will be my pleasure to participate in those topics; I got your number and will talk to you soon.
Roghayee: I have sent you an e-mail to meet you and have a cup of tea together.
Bahal: Thank you very much for helping Afghans. Sure, I would love to contact you so would you please send me your e-mail address to: Sonia.ziaee@gmail.com
July 7th, 2009 at 6:02 pm
Hi Sonia,
I hope that you are doing well with your studies at Flinders University. I wish we could have more students from afghanistan to study in Australia. In this way we can build our country once again.
If you need any help we are here to help as there are many afghanise studying at flinders or other Unies.
Wish you best of luck with your studies.
Arif
July 13th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Sonia, thanks for the Flinders’ link…you are such an inspiration, my favorite memory of you is you sitting on a cushion to drive a car down Darulaman Road, keep up the good work but take time each day to enjoy the journey….
August 17th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
like Sonia, I love to see many people who insist on learning. Those people can change the gloomy current situation to more promising future.
Sonia, you can do alot, and I am sure you will. Never stop. your country needs your knowledge, skills, and attitudes.
Please, convey this to all thirld world nations, and I am one of them.
Waslam Alikum
January 15th, 2010 at 10:43 pm
Hello Sonia;
It is good to see that in recent years Afghan women take part in every area to help their people and definitely you are one of them. One thing that I really liked about you was, that you have control over the language which Afghan women need.I did my FSP program in AUAF, that is the place where you really inspired me. Thanks
Could you please do me a fever, If you have any information regarding Master Degree in “International Development Studies” at your University, please send me valuable information, because I want to do my Masters in 2011.
Thanks alot.
Take Care
January 15th, 2010 at 10:44 pm
Sorry I didn’t mentioned my email ID. It is enamkhan07@yahoo.com.
Thanks