Fatima has been the only woman working as a tour guide in Afghanistan. She grew up in rural Gohr Province, where there was no schooling available to girls, but she convinced her family to let her take lessons. When Fatima was nine, her family settled in Herat and she was able to get some informal education. She practiced her English by listening to BBC radio, which she could pick up when high enough in the hills.
"My brothers and sisters were forced to get married. I decided that I would not continue in their tradition. That was why I decided to work," Fatima says. She signed up for Facebook and began joining groups for people interested in history. Tired of people who only knew Afghanistan as a place of war and conflict, she started writing regular posts about places in her country. Then she started getting comments and responses from her new online friends.
In 2020, one of them - a man known as "Big Tom" － invited her to be his guide during his traveling in Herat. After that, Fatima continued to get work by word of mouth. Eventually she came to the attention of Untamed Borders, a travel agency that specializes in trips to more inaccessible areas. It hired her, making her the country's first female professional tour guide.
Of course, being a pioneer is never easy. Fatima says many people in her life have told her that it's too dangerous for a woman to work, especially if it means interacting with men one-on-one.
Fatima says that the support of her employers and the people she has met through giving tours is what keeps her motivated. There's also the implication of what could happen if she does quit: "Challenges are always a part of my life. If I give up, then other women will never start."
