For some of us, it’s hard to believe that in this day and age, there are women that lack basic reading and writing skills. However, in parts of the world, this seems to be the case. Laura briefly shares how she overcame the barrier to pursuing higher education. To be able to take control of ones daily routine is something that many of us in the Western world take for granted.

I was blown away by the various stories that Laura shared regarding young ladies that sought to gain various levels of independence. Each story different, yet had the same underlying tone. i.e. education equals autonomy. One young lady, Umm El-Saad, barely knew how to write her name, yet with time, she became literate. To the point where her husband was seemingly concerned about the possibility of her now being able to read his text messages. As humorous as this sounds, her being able to read was about more than catching her husband at antics, but her being able to take control of her daily tasks, such as, helping her children with homework or being able to accurately count her money at the supermarket.

Another inspiring story was that of Fayza. She was forced to drop out of school and get married at age 8. By the time she was 18, she was twice a divorcee with three children. Despite her family’s objections, her goal is to educate herself so that she can gain financial stability and freedom, therefore breaking the barrier of heteronomy.

This is why it’s important for us to share our stories; we never know the extent to which it could encourage and inspire others to overcome their negative personal situations.