Maeda Hussaini was a 17-year-old Afghan girl who dreamed of becoming an astronaut and had even written to America’s space agency, NASA, to pursue her dream.
Maeda Hussaini aspired to be an astronaut and had written to Nasa, America’s space agency. That may appear impossible for a 17-year-old Afghan girl, but the sky was the limit.
Maeda’s story underscores Afghan refugees’ problems and hardships, particularly women and girls, who are frequently disproportionately affected. Afghanistan’s persistent violence and insecurity drive many families to make difficult decisions and go on dangerous trips for safety and a better life.
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Who Was Maeda Hussaini? 17-Year-Old Afghan Girl Dreams Of Space That Ended In Shipwreck
Maeda Hussaini was a 17-year-old Afghan girl who aspired to be an astronaut and had even written to NASA to pursue her goal. Sadly, her ambitions were dashed when the Taliban seized control in Afghanistan in 2021, forcing her family to flee to Iran.
Maeda refused to give up her goal even when the Taliban took control in 2021, and her family fled to Iran. She chose to go by land to Turkey rather than risk a sea crossing to Europe to finish her education.
Mahtab, her mother, was worried, but Maeda ultimately won her over. “I told her, ‘Go, my daughter, may God keep you safe,'” Mahtab recounts. “She was competent.” Maeda was at sea for four days after the boat she boarded left Turkey on February 22.
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“Hi, Mom. I hope everything is ok with you. I’m well and content. I’m still on board. We’ll be out in 30 minutes. “In her final audio message to Mahtab, who could hear the boat’s motor and waves in the background, she added.
Then comes the final text: “My beloved mother, I’m almost in Italy, leaving soon, joyful and well. Don’t be concerned.” Soon came word that the overcrowded migrant boat had capsized in heavy seas near the southern Italian shore at Crotone.
Meraj, an Afghan on the boat, says the sailing was challenging, but they remained cheerful as they got closer to land. To preserve his identity, his actual name has been hidden.
“After that, another vessel approached us and shone its lights on our boat. Our skippers were scared and attempted to turn the boat around, “he said.
At least 86 individuals died out of the estimated 200 passengers on board. Maeda’s body was discovered three weeks later; others remain unaccounted for.
Maeda Hussaini 17-Year-Old Afghan Girl Journey Explored
Because the hazards are so severe, it’s uncommon for young women to travel alone – but Mahtab says her eldest kid was determined.
According to her relatives, Maeda was shot in the leg seven months before crossing from Iran to Turkey. It’s unknown who shot her; border guards on both sides, as well as human traffickers, are armed.
But it didn’t seem to dissuade Maeda, who endured ten days with the bullet in her leg, fearing deportation if authorities discovered she’d seen a doctor, before being taken to a clinic to have it removed by other migrants.
Before taking the passage to Crotone, Maeda made many unsuccessful efforts to enter Europe. “I was concerned about her and begged her to return to Iran,” Mahtab claims. “I told her, ‘Aren’t you weary of trying to travel overseas again and again?'”
According to official data, Afghans accounted for 13% of all asylum claims in the 27-member European Union, Switzerland, and Norway in 2022.
Turkey serves as the primary transit location for Afghans attempting to reach Europe. They either traveled north via the Balkans or attempted to cross the sea to reach nations such as Italy, as Maeda did.
The stakes are high. According to monitoring organizations, almost 20,000 people have perished or gone missing at sea in the central Mediterranean since 2014.
The boat Maeda was on broke down shortly after leaving the Turkish shore, according to two survivors; the smugglers then brought another boat, and passengers were moved to it.
