Wahid makes change in his community by making sure voices in Afghanistan are not forgotten. Wahid came to Idaho after fleeing Afghanistan in 2021, and immediately got to work. After being a student at the College of Western Idaho, he was able to transfer to Boise State University in the Spring of 2023 where he now studies computer system engineering.
鈥淚 study computer systems because it鈥檚 how I feel like I can change the world.鈥 Wahid said.
Wahid has dreams of using his degree to solve bigger issues in the world by looking at them through the lens of technology. While Wahid will use his computer systems engineering skills to make change in the future, he鈥檚 using his voice to be a changemaker now. At the end of his first semester, his English 101 class was a part of a conference where students presented on topics they felt strongly about. Wahid chose to talk about women鈥檚 rights in Afghanistan.
鈥淚鈥檓 encouraged to have a conversation about all my sisters in Afghanistan 鈥 and I鈥檓 not just talking about my actual sisters. I鈥檓 talking about every girl that鈥檚 interested in education.鈥 Wahid said.
Wahid ended his first semester at Boise State University with a 3.91 GPA, and scholarship offers for his advocacy efforts. His voice extends beyond just women in Afghanistan pursuing education, but everyone in Afghanistan who wants to study higher education.
People like Wahid make our Boise community bright. His willingness to share his story and use his voice to share the stories of those who are voiceless otherwise is encouraging for all of us to be changemakers.