Saskatoon high school student who fled Afghanistan wins $100,000 scholarship
CBC
Banin Arjmand never shies away from a challenge.
The 20-year-old refugee made a treacherous journey out of Afghanistan with her parents and classmates after the Taliban seized control in August 2021.
Now living in Saskatoon, she's finishing her high school diploma at Nutana Collegiate and working part-time at Fuddruckers to help support herself and her parents, who aren't working.
Looking to her future, she didn't think she could afford university tuition. So when a teacher suggested that she apply for the prestigious Loran Award, a scholarship valued at more than $100,000 over four years, she figured she didn't have anything to lose.
It's a four-year leadership program that consists of a yearly stipend, free tuition at one of 25 Canadian universities, summer work experience, mentorship and networking. About 5,000 students from across Canada apply every year.
The application is demanding and brought back painful memories for Arjmand.
"For me, it was like a flashback of everything I've been through. It made me think of every detail of my life. I ended up crying," Arjmand told CBC News.
In February, she flew to Toronto with 90 finalists for two days of national interviews.
On Thursday, the Loran Scholars Foundation announced that Arjmand had won one of 36 Loran Awards.
"At Loran, we believe that strong character and integrity are a better measure of a person's long term potential than standard academic measures," stated the foundation. "We know that such promising young people have the power to change the future for the better. They just need a launchpad and opportunities to grow."
Arjmand says the scholarship is life-changing.
"I'm so happy.… It's not just the money," she said. "And it's not just the name of it. It's the new world I'm going to know after this, and the people I'm going to meet. I'm sure through this foundation, I'm going to know myself more, learn about myself more, and do better."
While Arjmand is excited about her future, she worries about the girls and women in Afghanistan who have been robbed of their right to go to school, to work or to move freely under the oppressive Taliban regime. She was heartbroken when dozens of girls were killed in suicide bombing at a school in her old neighbourhood.
"It hit me so hard," she said. "I want to help girls in Afghanistan. They have lost everything."