By Ziba Balkhi
Flying the bold blue skies of Afghanistan was one of Lida Huzoori’s greatest childhood dreams. And it came true.
The 29-year-old started paragliding ten years ago when the sport was still relatively new in Afghanistan and dominated by men.
“When I am upset, a single flight helps me eliminate all my worries and sorrows. This sport is vital to me,” Ms Huzoori said.
But just as the world was beginning to realize Afghanistan had athletes in this sport, the Taliban seized control of the country and Ms Huzoori realized her dreams would not survive. So she fled and became a refugee in Pakistan.
“When Afghanistan fell, all the girls were confined to their homes and I felt like a bird trapped in a cage, with my dreams and my wings. Now, I’m in Pakistan, where I began my activities again two years ago,” she said.
“The day I left Afghanistan, I realized that I could no longer fly in its skies and be its bird. It was truly difficult for me. Even thinking about it is painful.
“Boys are still active in this sport within Afghanistan, but as a woman, I couldn’t continue in a country where even education and work for girls are banned.”
Paragliding is a sport where a parachute-like canopy is attached to the pilot by harness to allow the pilot to glide through the sky.
Love for the sky overcame the obstacles
Even before the Taliban took power in 2021, many in Afghanistan’s highly traditional culture considered it unacceptable for women to attempt this sport.
But guided by her childhood dreams, Ms Huzoori was determined to spread her wings.
“Initially, when we started this sport in Afghanistan, there were two girls. We tried to increase the number of women participating, but because of the problems they faced, their families did not allow them to join us,” she said.
“Even if some did join us for a while, they would eventually stop because our society was traditional and there were restrictions on women.”
Her family also initially opposed her amid the negative public opinion, but she remained focused.
“When I started paragliding, I faced family opposition. The only person who encouraged and supported me was my father,” she said.
“People also had a negative view; some supported me, but many opposed me. However, I fought through all these problems and eventually persuaded my entire family.
“Fortunately, now my whole family supports me in this sport, and I can fly with peace of mind.”
Growing her wings
Ms Huzoori made her first solo flight from the Chaman-e-Nai area of Kabul at an altitude of 1,200 meters.
Now, after nearly a decade of practice, Ms Huzoori can fly up to 3,000 meters altitude and remain in the air for up to three hours.
That first flight is seared into her memory with all its excitement, fear, and thrill.
“It was truly a completely different feeling for me; that sensation of flying gave me energy and motivated me to continue with this sport and become a bird.”
In 2018, she first represented Afghanistan at the Asian Games in Indonesia.
She said that through this, she showed the world that women in Afghanistan are also active in such sports.
The Asian Games included representatives from 28 countries, including five athletes from Afghanistan. Lida was the only female athlete representing Afghanistan.
“It was a significant achievement that all these countries realized this sport had come to Afghanistan for the first time,” she said.
Unable to earn an income from the sport, Ms Huzoori studied journalism at university. Then alongside her paragliding training, she worked with various media outlets in Kabul.
But with the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, even working as a reporter became an almost impossible task for women, and female athletes had to give up sports completely.
The Taliban dissolved women’s national sports teams and have refused to allow female athletes to train, let alone compete.
At the Paris Olympics in August, a Taliban spokesperson explicitly stated the group does not recognize the Afghan female athletes.
Free from Taliban but restrictions remain
While Ms Huzoori is no longer restricted by the Taliban’s rules, her Afghan passport and status as a refugee, as well as ongoing financial obstacles, pose huge challenges.
“Competitions are being held throughout the year. I want to participate, but due to certain reasons, I can’t take part in them because I am a traveler here and face many other problems,” she said.
Since moving to Pakistan, Ms Huzoori has represented Afghanistan in three festivals and one friendly competition held in the country. But competitions outside Pakistan are all but out of reach.
A paragliding competition is scheduled for this month in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, but Ms Huzoori cannot compete.
“Normally, participating in an international competition involves significant costs which are beyond my means, and there is no support for migrant athletes,” she said.
“Without a sponsor, it is impossible to participate in the competition. This is very upsetting for me.”
Kabul skies still on the horizon
But she is not letting go of the sport – nor of the hope that she will one day glide through Afghanistan’s skies again.
“There is no place like one’s own homeland. Once you become a migrant and have to leave, you appreciate your homeland even more.”
Ms Huzoori said she endures the hardships of being a refugee to avoid being effectively confined to her home if she were under Taliban rule, and is continues her training in Pakistan with flights at least three times a week, weather permitting.
“I hope that one day I can return to Afghanistan, form a team again, and fly with them in the skies of Afghanistan. This is my only wish, and I hope that one day I can achieve it,” she said.
