Photo Credit:
Rafiq Maqbool
 
Photo Caption:
An Afghan schoolgirl looks out from the window of her classroom during the opening of a school in Bagram province, north of Kabul, March 24, 2008. 
 
Photographer's Note:
“I wish and pray innocent Afghans will not have to suffer. The revelation of the first word of Holy Quran was ‘Iqra’ meaning ‘To Read’. It motivates Muslims to learn and educate themselves as Allah wants them to gain knowledge.
 
I took this photograph of a young girl during the inauguration of a school. I noticed the girl looking out from the window of one of the classrooms. It was almost like she was caught by surprise to see the soldiers hanging around her school — they were the ones who renovated this school. I felt maybe it was a culture shock or maybe because there hadn’t been enough time for trust building yet.”