The Afghan Dreamers Aim to Save Lives

In Afghanistan, the threat of COVID-19 is growing each day, and experts believe one of the biggest challenges could be a lack of access to lifesaving technology. In response to the governor’s plea for help, Herat Province has gained an ally in the Afghan Dreamers, a girls’ robotics team who has engineered a ventilator from the engine of a Toyota Corolla.

This is not the first time the Afghan Dreamers have defied expectations and stereotypes. Led by their founder and Presidential Leadership Scholar alumna Roya Mahboob, they participated in Washington D.C.’s FIRST Global robotics Challenge in 2017. Out of 157 countries, their visa applications were denied – only to be approved after the Afghan Dreamers rallied attention and support on social media. When their construction materials arrived in Afghanistan, the customs officers held them for three months, refusing to release the parts to the team because they were girls. They also faced cultural barriers and prejudices from their own communities.



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