Zia’s Story

“Take care of your mother,” twelve-year-old Zia’s father whispers to him just as he is arrested—never to be seen again. Soon afterward, the Russian army pulls out of Afghanistan, and the country falls into a devastating civil war. The Taliban takes over, establishing a regime of great brutality and creating an atmosphere of fear—women are not allowed to work, nor can girls go to school. Many thousands join the perilous journey to neighbouring Pakistan seeking refuge—Zia and his mother among them.