Roya Mahboob Seeks New Ways to Educate Afghan Girls Under Taliban Rule
By Shivani Vora | November 24, 2025 | The New York Times
When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan in August 2021, they quickly imposed strict restrictions on girls’ education, abruptly halting access for those beyond sixth grade and curtailing many freedoms as part of their enforcement of Shariah law. This drastic reversal abruptly erased years of progress and left countless girls without schooling, sparking new challenges for education activists.
One such activist, Roya Mahboob, an Afghanistan-born technology entrepreneur and education advocate, faced intensified death threats due to her pioneering work to improve girls’ access to education. The escalating danger forced her to flee Afghanistan, and she now lives full-time in Cliffside Park, New Jersey, continuing her mission from afar.
A Vision for Education Amid Restrictions
Before the Taliban takeover, Ms. Mahboob had established the Digital Citizen Fund (D.C.F.) in 2013, a nonprofit that set up 13 technology centers in Afghan schools to empower girls through digital literacy and technology-based learning. These centers all closed as Afghanistan slipped back under Taliban control.
Undeterred, Ms. Mahboob is redoubling her efforts abroad. She has reassembled the Afghan Dreamers — an all-girls robotics team she helped found in 2017 — now expanded to include young Afghan women living across Canada, Sweden, Italy, and the United States. Despite ongoing challenges, several team members still live in Afghanistan and participate remotely through WhatsApp and Zoom. However, security issues prevented the Afghan Dreamers from attending their most recent event, the FIRST Global Challenge robotics competition in Panama City.
Ms. Mahboob also executive produced “Rule Breakers,” a narrative film released earlier in 2025 that highlights the struggles and successes of the Afghan Dreamers, bringing global attention to their inspiring story.
Innovating Learning Solutions for Isolated Girls
In addition to sustaining the robotics team, Ms. Mahboob is innovating new educational tools to reach girls who have been cut off from formal schools and internet connectivity. Her nonprofit’s programming now includes financial literacy courses and plans to launch an offline learning app named Edy. This app is designed to function without an internet connection, enabling girls to learn despite severe technological constraints.
Moreover, Mahboob has launched Inoura Academy, an initiative aimed at reaching girls beyond Afghanistan with science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) robotics kits. The goal is to ignite interest and aptitude in engineering fields, even where classroom access is limited or non-existent.
Continuing the Mission from Afar
Though operating from New Jersey for safety reasons, Ms. Mahboob remains deeply committed to leveraging technology as a tool to empower Afghan girls and young women. Her multifaceted approach combines underground online networks, offline educational apps, and global communities of Afghan women to keep the flame of education alive under some of the world’s most difficult circumstances.
“My hope is that no matter where these girls are, they know they have the power to learn and change their world,” Mahboob said in recent interviews by phone and email. Her work underscores a profound belief that technology, even when restricted, can help break barriers and open new doors for education.
Looking Ahead
Despite the current challenges posed by Taliban rule, Roya Mahboob’s innovative strategies offer a beacon of hope to many Afghan girls who yearn for the chance to learn. Her efforts exemplify resilience and the transformative power of technology in ensuring education endures — wherever and however it can.
This article is part of The New York Times’ Women and Leadership special report, highlighting women forging new paths worldwide.
