Malala’s message to an Afghan schoolgirl

As part of the BBC's 100 Women series, we asked four women leaders to exchange letters with four women from Afghanistan who share their profession or passion.

Here, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, who in 2012 was shot in the head by the Taliban in Pakistan for speaking up for the rights of girls to be educated, hears from 17 year-old Rohila, who has been unable to go to school for four months since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August. We have changed Rohila's name for her safety.

Rohila is a student who has been affected by the exclusion of girls from secondary schools in Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover in earlier this year.

Dear Malala,

Every morning when I wake up, I think I am late for school, but then I have the sad realisation that my school is shut. My school is only a few kilometres away from my home and I used to take a rickshaw to get there with my brothers and sisters. Now I look on as the rickshaw arrives every morning to take the boys to school, while I am left behind.

I watch the news every day, hoping to hear that schools will be opening in my area and I can once again chat with my friends and teachers. But the truth is, no-one knows when schools will be opening for girls my age. I feel such sorrow that we are being deprived of this very basic right to an education just because we are women.

I worry about my former women teachers. They are the sole breadwinners of their families and they haven't received a salary for months. I miss my friends so much. In my friendship group, very few of us have access to the internet. I try my best to read English online and teach myself things, but it's so difficult without a teacher.

I long to do experiments in our science laboratory again and take part in the public speaking competitions I once enjoyed. I remember feeling so proud when I represented my school and won a competition against another school.

I always felt that I should strive for excellence in the subjects I am most passionate about. When I was a child, my dad would bring me cartoon strips in English to read or encourage me to watch science shows on TV. That's why these are my favourite subjects now.

In the future, I want to study science and English and have a successful career. I dream of getting a scholarship to study abroad and then return to my country with expertise and experience.

But Afghanistan is cut off from the rest of the world, and my dreams of pursuing my education now feel futile.

I hope the world and the international community will not forget about us, and not let our years of hard work go to waste. I hope the world will speak up for us too.

All best,

Rohila

Malala Yousafzai is a co-founder of the non-profit Malala Fund, that aims to help to build a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear.

Dear Rohila,

I want you to know you are not alone.

I remember seeing men with guns invade my home in Pakistan and shut down girls' schools. I know what it's like to not know what tomorrow will bring, to fear never returning to a classroom.

When the Taliban took over Kabul last August, I was in the hospital for my sixth surgery in nine years to help repair the damage their bullet inflicted. I watched the news and saw Afghan women and girls protesting on the streets demanding equal rights. My heart ached watching history repeat itself.

If all girls went to school, we could assume leadership roles across every sector. We could better advocate for ourselves. We could also help make our world better. More educated women contributing could help speed up progress on things like vaccine development or finding climate solutions. I want to see this future.

As I fight for education and equality each day, I will think of you - with your love of science and a father, who like mine, wants to see you learn and lead. I promise to keep sharing your story and continue calling for action.

All I ask of you, is to never lose faith in yourself. Believe in your voice. You are capable of anything.

Malala Yousafzai

Produced by Georgina Pearce, Lara Owen, Kawoon Khamoosh, Zuhal Ahad. Edited by Valeria Perasso. Illustrations by Jilla Dastmalchi. Additional visuals by Joy Roxas.

BBC 100 Women names 100 influential and inspirational women around the world every year. Follow BBC 100 Women on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Join the conversation using #BBC100Women.