1 00:00:11,111 --> 00:00:21,121 >>> 17 YEARS AGO, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A $100 MILLION PROJECT TO REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETIC LIMBS. 2 00:00:21,187 --> 00:00:29,028 THE ROBOTICS THAT INVESTMENT INSPIRED IS AMAZING. BUT EVEN MORE REMARKABLE IS HOW THE FEELING OF FEELING -- 3 00:00:29,095 --> 00:00:39,939 >> SO IF I HOLD THIS RIGHT HERE. >> -- IS RETURNING TO PEOPLE'S LIVES. >> I FEEL IT HERE AND HERE. 4 00:00:40,006 --> 00:00:50,650 >>> WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WOMEN OF AFGHANISTAN SINCE THE AMERICAN MILITARY LEFT KABUL? TO FIND OUT, WE WENT, OF COURSE, 5 00:00:50,717 --> 00:00:55,288 TO RWANDA. YES, RWANDA. HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? >> GREAT! 6 00:00:55,355 --> 00:01:05,432 >> THIS IS THE STORY OF A BRAVE AFGHAN WOMAN WHO HELPED EVACUATE MORE THAN 200 AFGHAN GIRLS AND EDUCATORS TO SAFETY IN AFRICA 7 00:01:05,498 --> 00:01:13,006 WHERE THEY'RE STUDYING IN HOPES OF ONE DAY RETURNING TO THEIR HOMELAND. DO YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL BECOME 8 00:01:13,072 --> 00:01:19,879 LEADERS? >> YES. >> I WANT TO BE A SURGEON. >> I WANT TO HELP POOR PEOPLE IN 9 00:01:19,946 --> 00:01:26,219 AFGHANISTAN. >> I WANT TO BE A POLITICIAN. >> AND, FINALLY, FROM ZAHRA -- >> I WANT TO BE A SPY. 10 00:01:26,286 --> 00:01:32,659 >> A SPY? [ LAUGHTER ] >> I'M LESLEY STAHL. >> I'M BILL WHITAKER. 11 00:01:32,725 --> 00:01:37,997 >> I'M ANDERSON COOPER. >> I'M SHARYN ALFONSI. >> I'M JON WERTHEIM. >> I'M CECILIA VEGA. 12 00:01:38,064 --> 00:01:42,035 >> I'M SCOTT PELLEY. THOSE STORIES TONIGHT ON "60 MINUTES." 13 00:01:42,101 --> 00:01:50,810 CAPTIO 14 00:01:50,877 --> 00:01:57,183 >>> WE DON'T OFTEN THINK ABOUT HOW THE SENSE OF TOUCH MAKES OUR LIVES POSSIBLE. WE GRIP A PAPER COFFEE CUP WITH 15 00:01:57,250 --> 00:02:07,827 PERFECT FORCE TO HOLD IT, BUT NOT CRUSH IT. OUR FEET ALWAYS FIND THE FLOOR. BUT FOR PEOPLE WITH ARTIFICIAL 16 00:02:07,894 --> 00:02:13,199 LIMBS, OR THOSE WITH SPINAL INJURIES, THE LOSS OF TOUCH CAN PUT THE WORLD BEYOND THEIR GRASP. 17 00:02:13,266 --> 00:02:20,607 17 YEARS AGO, THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT LAUNCHED A $100 MILLION PROJECT TO REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETIC LIMBS. 18 00:02:20,673 --> 00:02:28,515 THE ROBOTICS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE IS AMAZING - BUT AS WE FIRST REPORTED EARLIER THIS YEAR, EVEN MORE REMARKABLE IS HOW THE 19 00:02:28,581 --> 00:02:39,125 "FEELING OF FEELING" IS RETURNING TO PEOPLE LIKE BRANDON PRESTWOOD. >> FOR ME, IT WAS -- IT'S A 20 00:02:39,192 --> 00:02:44,397 BATTLE IF I WANTED TO LIVE OR DIE. >> YOU WEREN'T SURE YOU WANTED TO LIVE? 21 00:02:44,464 --> 00:02:51,804 >> NO. I DIDN'T KNOW IF I WANTED TO OR NOT. >> BRANDON PRESTWOOD'S BATTLE 22 00:02:51,871 --> 00:03:00,380 BEGAN WITH THE LOSS OF HIS LEFT HAND. IN 2012, HE WAS ON A MAINTENANCE CREW REASSEMBLING AN INDUSTRIAL 23 00:03:00,446 --> 00:03:06,686 CONVEYOR BELT WHEN SOMEONE TURNED IT ON. >> AND MY ARM WAS DRAGGED IN PRETTY MUCH UP TO THE SHOULDER. 24 00:03:06,753 --> 00:03:14,627 IT CRUSHED MY BONES IN MY ARM AND FED MY ARM THROUGH A GAP OF ABOUT 1 INCH. >> HOW DID THEY SAVE YOUR LIFE? 25 00:03:14,694 --> 00:03:19,933 >> THE OTHER MAINTENANCE GUYS JUMPED IN. THEY STARTED BASICALLY TAKING THE MACHINE BACK APART. 26 00:03:19,999 --> 00:03:26,806 ONCE WE GOT IT BACK APART, I COULD LOOK IN AND SEE WHAT WAS THERE. AND ONE OF THE GENTLEMEN WAS A 27 00:03:26,873 --> 00:03:40,086 VIETNAM VETERAN. >> AND THE VIETNAM VETERAN KNEW WHAT TO DO. >> YEAH. 28 00:03:40,153 --> 00:03:52,198 >> THE VIETNAM VETERAN KNEW TOURNIQUETS. BUT PRESTWOOD LOST HIS HAND AND COULDN'T RETURN TO HIS JOB. 29 00:03:52,265 --> 00:03:58,571 >> AFTER FOUR YEARS WITH A HOOK, HE TOLD HIS WIFE, AMY, HE WANTED TO VOLUNTEER FOR EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH INVOLVING SURGERY AT 30 00:03:58,638 --> 00:04:10,283 THE V.A. >> I WAS NOT 100% ON BOARD TO START WITH. BUT I KNEW HE HAD HIS MIND SET 31 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:16,089 THAT HE WAS -- HE HAD TO DO THIS. AND I COULDN'T HOLD HIM BACK. >> SIX YEARS LATER, THANKS TO 32 00:04:16,155 --> 00:04:22,595 DEFENSE DEPARTMENT AND V.A. PROJECTS, PRESTWOOD CONTROLS THIS HAND WITH NOTHING BUT HIS THOUGHTS. 33 00:04:22,662 --> 00:04:29,869 >> EVERYTHING STILL FEEL GOOD? >> PROBABLY WHEN I GET HER TURNED AROUND HERE. >> ELECTRODES, IMPLANTED IN 34 00:04:29,936 --> 00:04:36,275 MUSCLES IN HIS ARM, PICK UP HIS BRAIN'S ELECTRICAL SIGNALS FOR MOVEMENT. A COMPUTER TRANSLATES THOSE 35 00:04:36,342 --> 00:04:44,283 SIGNALS TO THE HAND. >> HOW ABOUT THE MIDDLE FINGER NOW? SENSORS IN THE PLASTIC FINGERS 36 00:04:44,350 --> 00:04:54,794 ARE CONNECTED TO NERVES IN HIS ARM TO RETURN A BASIC SENSE OF TOUCH, WHICH HE CAN DEMONSTRATE WITH HIS EYES CLOSED. 37 00:04:54,861 --> 00:04:59,565 >> PINKY, INDEX. >> THAT'S NOT BAD. >> MIDDLE. >> IT STILL REQUIRES A LITTLE 38 00:04:59,632 --> 00:05:08,574 BIT, BUT IT'S NOT BAD. >> BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER DUSTIN TYLER LEADS THIS RESEARCH AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY 39 00:05:08,641 --> 00:05:20,186 AND THE CLEVELAND V.A. >> TOUCH IS ABOUT CONNECTION, CONNECTION TO THE WORLD, IT'S ABOUT CONNECTION TO OTHERS, AND 40 00:05:20,253 --> 00:05:25,458 IT'S A CONNECTION TO YOURSELF, RIGHT? I MEAN, WE NEVER EXPERIENCE NOT HAVING TOUCH. 41 00:05:25,525 --> 00:05:29,295 IT'S THE LARGEST SENSORY ORGAN ON OUR BODY. >> TYLER FIRST ATTEMPTED AN ARTIFICIAL CONNECTION IN 2012. 42 00:05:29,362 --> 00:05:36,035 HE SWITCHED IT ON IN A VOLUNTEER AND WONDERED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. >> SO I WAS CONCERNED, WOULD IT BE HIS WHOLE HAND? 43 00:05:36,102 --> 00:05:42,975 WOULD IT BE PAINFUL? WOULD IT NOT FEEL ANYTHING? WE HAD NO IDEA. SO, ONE OF THOSE BIG MOMENTS IN 44 00:05:43,042 --> 00:05:47,747 MY CAREER WAS HE CAME IN, WE FIRST TURNED ON THE STIMULUS, AND HE KIND OF STOPPED FOR A SECOND, AND HE GOES, "THAT'S MY 45 00:05:47,814 --> 00:05:54,120 THUMB, THAT'S THE TIP OF MY THUMB." >> THIS HAPPENED RIGHT AWAY? >> FIRST TIME. 46 00:05:54,187 --> 00:05:59,392 >> IT DIDN'T REQUIRE ANY TRAINING OF THE BRAIN. >> NO. THAT WAS THE BEAUTY OF IT, "MY 47 00:05:59,459 --> 00:06:05,298 THUMB." >> BRANDON PRESTWOOD REMEMBERS THE INSTANT IT HAPPENED TO HIM. >> "THAT'S MY FINGERS." 48 00:06:05,364 --> 00:06:12,405 I AM FEELING MY FINGERS THAT I DON'T HAVE ANYMORE. I'M FEELING THEM. >> A DEFINITE FEELING, HE TOLD 49 00:06:12,472 --> 00:06:20,413 US, BUT DIFFERENT. >> IT DOESN'T FEEL EXACTLY LIKE MY RIGHT HAND. IT'S A TINGLING SENSATION. 50 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:28,087 IT'S NOT PAINFUL. IT'S KIND OF LIKE, IF YOUR HAND'S BEEN ASLEEP, RIGHT AT THE END, RIGHT BEFORE IT WAKES UP, 51 00:06:28,154 --> 00:06:32,325 THAT VERY, FOR ME, IT'S PLEASANT, IT'S A PLEASANT TINGLING. >> LET'S SEE IF YOU CAN DO IT ON 52 00:06:32,391 --> 00:06:40,233 A CHERRY HERE. >> A TINGLING THAT'S LIGHT WITH A LIGHT TOUCH BUT GROWS STRONGER THE HARDER HE PRESSES. 53 00:06:40,299 --> 00:06:48,141 EYES CLOSED, HE CAN PINCH A CHERRY FIRMLY ENOUGH TO PULL IT FROM ITS STEM BUT NOT CRUSH IT. >> YOU CAN FEEL THIS, IT'S 54 00:06:48,207 --> 00:06:57,183 LIGHT. >> I HAD TO USE MY LIGHTEST TOUCH WITH AN EMPTY EGG SHELL. >> I CAN FEEL THAT. 55 00:06:57,250 --> 00:07:04,657 I FEEL IT HERE AND HERE. >> IT'S A FEELING MORE THAN A DECADE IN THE MAKING. >> AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS 56 00:07:04,724 --> 00:07:09,896 RESEARCH, HOW DID YOU EVEN IMAGINE THAT THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE? >> I DIDN'T IMAGINE. 57 00:07:09,962 --> 00:07:16,469 I IMAGINED IT WAS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. >> SLIMAN BENSMAIA, AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, IS AMONG 58 00:07:16,536 --> 00:07:25,344 THE WORLD'S LEADING EXPERTS ON THE NEUROSCIENCE OF TOUCH. IN 2008, HE JOINED THE DEFENSE DEPARTMENT'S PROJECT TO 59 00:07:25,411 --> 00:07:32,251 REVOLUTIONIZE PROSTHETICS, BUT HE DIDN'T THINK THE PENTAGON KNEW WHAT IT WAS UP AGAINST. >> THERE ARE 100 BILLION NEURONS 60 00:07:32,318 --> 00:07:40,193 IN THE BRAIN INTERCONNECTED WITH 100 TRILLION SYNAPSES. I MEAN, THE HUMAN BRAIN, IT'S LIKE THE MOST COMPLEX SYSTEM IN 61 00:07:40,259 --> 00:07:50,736 THE KNOWN UNIVERSE. >> TOO COMPLEX, HE BELIEVED, TO TARGET ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO EXACTLY THE RIGHT NEURONS. 62 00:07:50,803 --> 00:07:56,075 >> AND WHEN WE ELECTRICALLY STIMULATE, WE ACTIVATE HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF THEM AT THE SAME TIME, IN WAYS THAT WOULD NEVER 63 00:07:56,142 --> 00:08:04,550 HAPPEN NATURALLY. IT JUST SEEMED LIKE THAT VERY IMPOVERISHED INTERFACE WITH THIS NERVOUS SYSTEM WOULD NEVER DO 64 00:08:04,617 --> 00:08:09,322 ANY -- BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING USEFUL. AND IT TURNS OUT I WAS WRONG. >> HE WAS PROVED WRONG BY HIS 65 00:08:09,388 --> 00:08:14,627 OWN RESEARCH... >> HOW YA DOIN', SCOTT, NICE TO MEET YOU. >> NICE TO MEET YOU, SCOTT. 66 00:08:14,694 --> 00:08:22,902 ...WITH VOLUNTEERS INCLUDING SCOTT IMBRIE. >> AND YOU CAN FEEL THAT? >> I FEEL IT ON MY FINGERTIPS. 67 00:08:22,969 --> 00:08:35,781 ...WHOSE MOVEMENT AND SENSE OF TOUCH, ARE LIMITED BY A SPINAL INJURY FROM A CAR ACCIDENT. >> COMPUTER PORTS IN IMBRIE'S 68 00:08:35,848 --> 00:08:42,655 SKULL ARE WIRED TO THE MOTOR AND SENSORY PARTS OF HIS BRAIN. ELECTRODES PICK UP THE BRAIN'S ELECTRICAL SIGNALS THAT WERE 69 00:08:42,722 --> 00:08:49,061 INTENDED FOR THE MUSCLES. A COMPUTER TRANSLATES THOSE SIGNALS TO THE ROBOT ARM. >> WE FIRST SAW THIS 70 00:08:49,128 --> 00:08:54,867 BRAIN/MACHINE INTERFACE TEN YEARS AGO AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH. BUT, BACK THEN, THERE WAS NO 71 00:08:54,934 --> 00:09:02,909 SENSATION. >> INDEX FINGER... >> IN COLLABORATION WITH PITT, NEUROSCIENTIST SLIMAN BENSMAIA 72 00:09:02,975 --> 00:09:13,519 SHOWED THAT SIGNALS FOR TOUCH COULD BE RETURNED TO THE BRAIN. >> HOW CAN YOU POSSIBLY KNOW WHAT PART OF THE BRAIN IS THE 73 00:09:13,586 --> 00:09:22,528 TIP OF THE INDEX FINGER? >> WE TOOK SCOTT AND WE PUT HIM IN A FUNCTIONAL MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING SCANNER. 74 00:09:22,595 --> 00:09:28,301 AND THEN WE HAD HIM IMAGINE MOVING HIS THUMB, IMAGINE MOVING HIS INDEX, IMAGINE MOVING HIS DIGITS AS WE MONITORED HIS BRAIN 75 00:09:28,367 --> 00:09:37,310 ACTIVITY. AND, LO AND BEHOLD, THE SENSORY AND MOTOR PARTS OF THE BRAIN THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE HAND, 76 00:09:37,376 --> 00:09:51,190 LIT UP. >> MIDDLE...RING...INDEX... >> THERE ARE CHALLENGES. EVENTUALLY THE BRAIN BUILDS SCAR 77 00:09:51,257 --> 00:10:03,269 TISSUE AT THE IMPLANTS LIMITING THE MOTOR ELECTRODES. BUT ONE PATIENT'S IMPLANTS HAVE LASTED EIGHT YEARS AND COUNTING. 78 00:10:03,336 --> 00:10:10,943 SCOTT IMBRIE'S HAD BEEN WORKING MORE THAN TWO YEARS. >> YOU HAVE BEEN A SUBJECT OF THIS WORK FOR YEARS NOW. 79 00:10:11,010 --> 00:10:20,619 AND I WONDER WHY. >> I WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE ELSE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME INDEPENDENT AGAIN. 80 00:10:20,686 --> 00:10:27,059 >> THE MOST MEANINGFUL WORK OF YOUR LIFE? >> YES, SIR, 100%. >> THE GREATEST INDEPENDENCE 81 00:10:27,126 --> 00:10:36,602 MIGHT BE NO PROSTHETIC AT ALL. AND WE SAW THIS ASTOUNDING POSSIBILITY WITH A PIONEER, AUSTIN BEGGIN. 82 00:10:36,669 --> 00:10:43,009 HIS BRAIN IMPULSES ARE ROUTED, NOT TO A ROBOT, BUT TO IMPLANTS IN HIS OWN ARM THAT FIRE HIS MUSCLES. 83 00:10:43,075 --> 00:10:49,382 >> WHAT FUNCTION DID YOU HAVE IN THIS HAND BEFORE THE IMPLANTS? >> OH, ABSOLUTELY NONE. >> NOTHING? 84 00:10:49,448 --> 00:10:56,622 YOU COULDN'T MOVE IT AT ALL? >> NO. SO, THE ONLY THING I CAN DO REALLY IS SHRUG MY SHOULDERS AND 85 00:10:56,689 --> 00:11:05,364 KIND OF SHIFT 'EM. UNFORTUNATELY, THAT WAS ALL THAT CAME BACK AFTER MY ACCIDENT. >> HIS ACCIDENT WAS ON A 86 00:11:05,431 --> 00:11:13,272 VACATION CELEBRATING HIS COLLEGE GRADUATION. DIVING INTO A SUBMERGED SANDBAR LEFT HIM QUADRIPLEGIC. 87 00:11:13,339 --> 00:11:21,747 NOW, MOTOR AND SENSORY IMPULSES FLOW THROUGH THE PORTS IN BEGGIN'S SKULL AND A COMPUTER BYPASSING HIS DAMAGED SPINE. 88 00:11:21,814 --> 00:11:29,722 >> RELAX...CLOSE. >> THE RESEARCH IS LED BY BOLU AJIBOYE, A BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER AT CASE WESTERN RESERVE 89 00:11:29,789 --> 00:11:37,029 UNIVERSITY. >> OUR GOAL IS TO RESTORE COMPLETE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE UPPER ARM INCLUDING DEXTROUS 90 00:11:37,096 --> 00:11:43,436 HAND FUNCTION AND THE ABILITY TO REACH OUT SO THAT AUSTIN AND OTHERS WHO'VE SUFFERED, YOU KNOW, SEVERE SPINAL CORD INJURY 91 00:11:43,502 --> 00:11:52,411 CAN REGAIN SOME LEVEL OF FUNCTIONAL INDEPENDENCE. >> THE CRADLE UNDER HIS ARM ONLY SUPPORTS THE WEIGHT - ALL OF THE 92 00:11:52,478 --> 00:11:59,351 MOTION IS HIS OWN. IT TAKES EFFORT. HE HAS TO CONCENTRATE. >> LITTLE BIT QUICKER. 93 00:11:59,418 --> 00:12:08,727 OPEN HAND. RELAX HAND. CLOSE HAND. RELAX HAND. OPEN HAND. RELAX HAND. >> AND THE COMPUTER NEEDS 94 00:12:08,794 --> 00:12:16,635 FREQUENT ADJUSTMENT. >> HOW DOES THAT FEEL? >> GOOD. BUT HIS PARENTS SHELLY AND BRAD 95 00:12:16,702 --> 00:12:21,407 SHOWED US WHERE THIS COULD LEAD. >> CARROT? OR WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A NICE GRANOLA BAR? 96 00:12:21,474 --> 00:12:32,751 >> I'LL TAKE THE GRANOLA BAR. >> YEAH, I FIGURED. >> BEGGIN RETAINED LIMITED FEELING AFTER HIS INJURY WHICH 97 00:12:32,818 --> 00:12:44,730 MAKES HIM IDEAL FOR EVALUATING THE ARTIFICIAL SENSE OF TOUCH. HIS MOTOR SKILLS CONTINUE TO GROW. 98 00:12:44,797 --> 00:12:48,934 >> SO IF I CAN EXTEND FIRST. LET ME OPEN MY HAND FOR YA AND SQUEEZE AROUND IT. YOU'LL FEEL ME REALLY START TO 99 00:12:49,001 --> 00:12:55,241 DIG IN RIGHT THERE. >> YOU GOT A GRIP. >> YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] 100 00:12:55,307 --> 00:13:00,813 IT REALLY IS. AND LET GO AND I'LL BRING THE ARM BACK UP. >> CONGRATULATIONS. 101 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:08,821 >> YEAH. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> AMAZING. >> AMAZING ADVANCES ARE COMING 102 00:13:08,888 --> 00:13:14,293 QUICKLY. DANNY WERNER LOST HIS FOOT IN VIETNAM. BUT 47 YEARS LATER, HE WAS 103 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:21,734 RECONNECTED TO TOUCH IN AN ARTIFICIAL FOOT, WHICH HELPS HIM BAG, CLIMB STAIRS AND WALK ON UNEVEN GROUND. 104 00:13:21,800 --> 00:13:31,644 BRANDON PRESTWOOD'S NEXT DEVICE WILL REPLACE SOME WIRING WITH BLUETOOTH CONNECTIONS. >> ESPECIAL THE THUMB, THE 105 00:13:31,710 --> 00:13:43,022 THUMB'S SPOT ON. THE COST OF HIS EXPERIMENTAL RIG AND SURGERY IS ESTIMATED AT ROUGHLY $200,000. 106 00:13:43,088 --> 00:13:50,362 BUT AN EVENTUAL COMMERCIAL SYSTEM MAY COST SIGNIFICANTLY LESS WHILE DELIVERING MOMENTS THAT ARE PRICELESS. 107 00:13:50,429 --> 00:13:58,304 >> WHAT DID THAT MEAN TO YOU TO FEEL AMY'S HAND IN YOURS? >> THE WORLD. I WAS A WHOLE PERSON AGAIN. 108 00:13:58,370 --> 00:14:06,378 I DIDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THOSE DARK THOUGHTS CREEPING BACK IN. >> IT'S JUST GIVEN ME BACK MY 109 00:14:06,445 --> 00:14:19,358 HUSBAND WHO MEANS THE WORLD TO ME. HE'S HISELF AGAIN. >> "HIMSELF" BECAUSE THE FEELING 110 00:14:19,425 --> 00:14:24,563 OF FEELING IS SO MUCH OF WHAT MAKES US HUMAN. MAYBE THAT'S WHY WHEN WE SEE A TENDER MOMENT, IT IS SAID TO BE 111 00:14:24,630 --> 00:14:29,368 "TOUCHING." >> I LOVE YOU. 112 00:14:34,940 --> 00:14:46,619 >>> FOLLOWING THE BREAKTHROUGHS IN PROSTHETICS. >> THAT IS JUST THE MOST ASTOUNDING THING I'VE EVER 113 00:14:46,685 --> 00:14:56,228 >>> WHATEVER YOUR VIEW OF THE U.S. DECISION TO END AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR AND WITHDRAW TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN, THAT COUNTRY'S 114 00:14:56,295 --> 00:15:05,070 FALL TO THE TALIBAN IN AUGUST OF 2021 HAS UNQUESTIONABLY PLUNGED THAT NATION ONCE AGAIN INTO A DEEP CRISIS. 115 00:15:05,137 --> 00:15:13,712 MILLIONS ARE FACING FAMINE, AND THE ECONOMY IS IN SHAMBLES. THOSE SUFFERING THE MOST ARE AFGHAN WOMEN AND GIRLS. 116 00:15:13,779 --> 00:15:21,153 THE TALIBAN HAS CLOSED GIRLS' SCHOOLS BEYOND 6th GRADE, AND BARRED WOMEN FROM UNIVERSITIES. THAT MEANS THAT GIRLS ARE BANNED 117 00:15:21,220 --> 00:15:31,230 FROM ANYTHING BEYOND A GRADE SCHOOL EDUCATION. TONIGHT, THOUGH, WE'RE GOING TO TELL YOU A STORY OF HOPE... 118 00:15:31,297 --> 00:15:37,036 ABOUT A GROUP OF AFGHAN GIRLS WHO ARE IN SCHOOL. AS WE FIRST REPORTED IN FEBRUARY, THEY'RE AT A SCHOOL 119 00:15:37,102 --> 00:15:46,312 CALLED SOLA, THE AFGHAN WORD FOR PEACE...AND ALSO SHORT FOR SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP AFGHANISTAN. 120 00:15:46,378 --> 00:15:53,085 IT WAS STARTED BY A YOUNG AFGHAN WOMAN NAMED SHABANA BASIJ-RASIKH, WHO KNOWS FIRSTHAND THE POWER OF AN 121 00:15:53,152 --> 00:15:59,825 EDUCATION. AND THOUGH THEY HAD TO FLEE AFGHANISTAN IN A HARROWING ESCAPE, WE FOUND THE GIRLS OF 122 00:15:59,892 --> 00:16:16,308 SOLA BACK IN THE CLASSROOM...HALF A WORLD AWAY. >> THESE ARE THE BUSY STREETS OF KIGALI, RWANDA, A LAND-LOCKED 123 00:16:16,375 --> 00:16:22,114 AFRICAN NATION THAT WAS ONCE THE SITE OF A HORRIFIC GENOCIDE THAT KILLED NEARLY A MILLION AND LEFT 2 MILLION REFUGEES. 124 00:16:22,181 --> 00:16:29,054 RWANDA IS NOW AT PEACE, AND HAS BECOME AN UNLIKELY PLACE OF REFUGE FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS. >> HOW MUCH IS THE PINEAPPLE? 125 00:16:29,121 --> 00:16:35,894 >> TO THE GIRLS OF SOLA. AND THEY SEEM TO BE SETTLING IN. >> ARE YOU READY FOR THIS? >> YES. 126 00:16:35,961 --> 00:16:42,768 >> THE EVENING WE ARRIVED AT SOLA'S TEMPORARY CAMPUS HERE THE 6th AND 7th GRADES WERE HOLDING A GEOGRAPHY COMPETITION. 127 00:16:42,835 --> 00:16:47,506 >> SPELLING COUNTS. >> OKAY. >> CLASSES HERE ARE TAUGHT IN ENGLISH. 128 00:16:47,573 --> 00:16:53,879 >> GO! >> THE GIRLS WERE RACING TO IDENTIFY NEARLY 200 COUNTRIES ALL AROUND THE GLOBE. 129 00:16:53,946 --> 00:17:02,388 THEY'RE WEARING MASKS NOT TO PROTECT AGAINST COVID, BUT TO HIDE THEIR IDENTITIES TO PROTECT THEIR FAMILIES STILL IN 130 00:17:02,454 --> 00:17:07,192 AFGHANISTAN. >> MY NAME IS ZAHRA. ZAHRA'S FAMILY HAS LEFT THE COUNTRY SO SHE CAN SHOW HER 131 00:17:07,259 --> 00:17:14,032 FACE. SURAYA'S AND NAJIA'S ARE STILL THERE. >> YOU KNOW EVERY COUNTRY IN THE 132 00:17:14,099 --> 00:17:17,770 WORLD. >> YES. >> YOU LIKE IT. >> IT WAS FUN. 133 00:17:17,836 --> 00:17:23,075 >> YOU LIKE CONTESTS? >> YES. [ LAUGHTER ] >> THEY'RE SO PASSIONATE. 134 00:17:23,142 --> 00:17:28,380 THEY'RE SO ACTIVE. THEY'RE SO EAGER. THEY'RE SO INTERESTED. >> SHABANA BASIJ-RASIKH IS 135 00:17:28,447 --> 00:17:33,085 SOLA'S FOUNDER AND SINGLE-MINDED LEADER. >> HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING? >> GREAT! 136 00:17:33,152 --> 00:17:41,093 >> AT 32, AND JUST OVER 5 FEET TALL, SHABANA STARTED CREATING SOLA WHEN SHE WAS STILL A STUDENT HERSELF. 137 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:53,238 HER STORY AND HER COMMITMENT TO EDUCATING GIRLS GOES BACK TO 1996 WHEN AFGHANISTAN FELL TO THE TALIBAN THE FIRST TIME. 138 00:17:53,305 --> 00:18:00,712 SHE WAS 6 YEARS OLD, AND ALL GIRLS' SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED. BUT SHABANA'S PARENTS, A FORMER GENERAL AND AN EDUCATOR, REFUSED 139 00:18:00,779 --> 00:18:08,120 TO KEEP THEIR DAUGHTERS LOCKED UP AT HOME. THEY HEARD ABOUT A SECRET SCHOOL RUN OUT OF A FORMER PRINCIPAL'S 140 00:18:08,187 --> 00:18:15,527 LIVING ROOM, AND SAW AN OPPORTUNITY, DESPITE THE DANGER, FOR SHABANA AND HER OLDER SISTER TO BE EDUCATED. 141 00:18:15,594 --> 00:18:23,268 >> THE TALIBAN DID NOT ALLOW WOMEN TO GO OUTSIDE ALONE. SO MY PARENTS DRESSED ME UP AS A BOY SO THAT I COULD ACCOMPANY MY 142 00:18:23,335 --> 00:18:33,312 SISTER TO AND FROM THAT SECRET SCHOOL. >> THAT WAS THE BEST WAY THAT BOTH OF US COULD RECEIVE AN 143 00:18:33,378 --> 00:18:41,286 EDUCATION. >> OH, MY GOD, SO THEY DRESSED YOU AS A BOY -- >> MY MOM CUT MY HAIR. 144 00:18:41,353 --> 00:18:46,892 I WORE BOYS' CLOTHES. >> PANTS. >> PANTS AND T-SHIRT AND, YEAH, BUZZ CUT. 145 00:18:46,959 --> 00:18:52,431 >> AND THE FAMILY CAREFULLY MAPPED OUT THEIR ROUTES. >> YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE DIFFERENT STREETS EVERY DAY SO YOU DON'T 146 00:18:52,498 --> 00:18:58,871 CREATE A ROUTINE. THE SAME SHOPKEEPER AT A CERTAIN CONVENIENCE STORE SHOULD NOT NOTICE YOU EVERY DAY. 147 00:18:58,937 --> 00:19:04,676 >> SO YOU WERE ALWAYS AFRAID, OR THEY WERE ALWAYS AFRAID, YOU'D GET CAUGHT. >> THEY NEVER KNEW WHEN OR IF WE 148 00:19:04,743 --> 00:19:09,481 WOULD RETURN HOME. >> BUT EVEN AFTER A CLOSE CALL WHERE SHABANA AND HER SISTER WERE FOLLOWED AND BEGGED THEIR 149 00:19:09,548 --> 00:19:15,787 PARENTS TO STOP SENDING THEM TO SCHOOL, HER MOM AND DAD SAID NO. >> THEY TOLD US THINGS LIKE, "YOU COULD BE FORCED TO LEAVE 150 00:19:15,854 --> 00:19:21,627 YOUR HOME. YOU COULD BE FORCED TO BECOME A REFUGEE. YOU COULD LOSE ANY MATERIAL 151 00:19:21,693 --> 00:19:30,969 POSSESSIONS THAT YOU HAVE. BUT THE ONE THING THAT CAN NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU IS YOUR EDUCATION." 152 00:19:31,036 --> 00:19:38,043 >> WHEN THE TALIBAN FELL AFTER THE U.S. INVASION IN 2001, SHABANA WENT TO A REAL SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND SHE 153 00:19:38,110 --> 00:19:44,883 EXCELLED, WINNING A PLACE IN A STATE DEPARTMENT PROGRAM TO SPEND A YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL IN THE U.S. 154 00:19:44,950 --> 00:19:51,790 >> I WAS RANDOMLY PLACED WITH THIS LOVELY HOST FAMILY IN WISCONSIN -- WHERE I GAINED 40 POUNDS. 155 00:19:51,857 --> 00:19:58,697 [ LAUGHTER ] >> BUT THAT WASN'T THE ONLY WAY THE YEAR CHANGED HER. >> WHAT STRUCK ME THE MOST, WAS 156 00:19:58,764 --> 00:20:08,840 LIVING IN A SOCIETY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE WHERE GIRLS HAD NO CONCERNS WHATSOEVER THAT THEIR FREEDOM TO ATTEND 157 00:20:08,907 --> 00:20:17,115 SCHOOL COULD BE TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM ANY TIME, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY SINGLE AFGHAN GIRL WHO'S LUCKY ENOUGH 158 00:20:17,182 --> 00:20:26,892 TO GO TO SCHOOL LIVES WITH, AND YOU CAN'T BLAME THEM, CAN YOU? >> NO, I CAN'T BECAUSE AFGHANISTAN IS THE ONLY COUNTRY 159 00:20:26,959 --> 00:20:41,340 IN THE WORLD THAT WON'T LET GIRLS GO TO SCHOOL. >> YEAH, SO, UM -- >> WHY ARE YOU TEARING UP? 160 00:20:41,406 --> 00:20:49,014 THAT AFGHANISTAN'S THE ONLY COUNTRY? >> UH-HUH. >> SHABANA'S COMMITMENT TO HER 161 00:20:49,081 --> 00:20:54,252 HOMELAND RUNS DEEP. WHEN SHE GOT A SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE IN VERMONT, SHE STARTED WORKING NOT 162 00:20:54,319 --> 00:21:03,895 ON BUILDING A GREAT LIFE FOR HERSELF IN THE U.S., BUT WHAT SHE COULD DO FOR AFGHANISTAN. HER ANSWER, START A SCHOOL. 163 00:21:03,962 --> 00:21:12,871 AND BY THE TIME SHE GRADUATED IN 2011, AN EARLY VERSION OF SOLA WAS ALREADY UP AND RUNNING IN KABUL. 164 00:21:12,938 --> 00:21:19,277 >> I HEARD THAT IT'S DIFFERENT. IT'S A LEADERSHIP PROGRAM. >> FATIMA WAS AN EARLY SOLA STUDENT. 165 00:21:19,344 --> 00:21:24,549 >> YOU WERE ENCOURAGED TO SPEAK UP? >> YES. >> YOU LIKED IT? 166 00:21:24,616 --> 00:21:32,057 >> YEAH, YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] >> I WAS, LIKE, "WOW." I THOUGHT, LIKE, IT'S SUCH AN 167 00:21:32,124 --> 00:21:37,429 AWESOME SCHOOL. >> FATIMA'S TWO YOUNGER SISTERS, AYDIN AND SAJIA, TOOK NOTICE. SAJIA GOT IN NEXT. 168 00:21:37,496 --> 00:21:43,835 >> AND I WAS, LIKE, "WELL, NEXT YEAR IT'S MY TURN." [ LAUGHTER ] >> AYDIN REMEMBERS TRYING TO 169 00:21:43,902 --> 00:21:48,607 IMPRESS SHABANA, THE SCHOOL'S FOUNDER, IN HER INTERVIEW. >> I WAS, LIKE, READING A LOT OF BOOKS AND I WAS WRITING THEIR 170 00:21:48,674 --> 00:21:54,980 SUMMARIES DOWN. AND I WAS, LIKE, "YOU KNOW WHAT? I SHOULD TAKE THIS AND SHOW HER LIKE I'M A SMART KID, YOU SHOULD 171 00:21:55,047 --> 00:22:01,386 ACCEPT ME HERE." [ LAUGHTER ] >> IT WORKED. AYDIN STARTED AS A 6th GRADER IN 172 00:22:01,453 --> 00:22:08,260 2016, THE YEAR SOLA EXPANDED TO BECOME A FULL-FLEDGED 6th-12th GRADE GIRLS BOARDING SCHOOL. THE ONLY ONE IN AFGHANISTAN, 173 00:22:08,326 --> 00:22:17,469 FUNDED AS A U.S. NONPROFIT THROUGH GRANTS AND DONATIONS. THERE WERE DAILY ASSEMBLIES, AND THE SCHOOL'S OWN SPECIAL PLEDGE 174 00:22:17,536 --> 00:22:23,642 OF ALLEGIANCE. >> "WE ARE ALL AFGHANS, WE LOVE AFGHANISTAN, WE WILL TRY OUR BEST AND WORK HARD TO IMPROVE 175 00:22:23,709 --> 00:22:31,583 THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY." >> SHABANA'S GOAL WAS BOTH TO EDUCATE HER STUDENTS AND SERVE THE NATION BY TRAINING A 176 00:22:31,650 --> 00:22:38,990 GENERATION OF LEADERS FROM AFGHANISTAN'S VARIOUS REGIONS AND RELIGIOUS SECTS. >> MY ROOMMATE WAS SHIA, AND I 177 00:22:39,057 --> 00:22:44,830 WAS SUNNI. AND IT WAS MY FIRST TIME TO TALK TO A SHIA GIRL. AND IT WAS SO INTERESTING TO 178 00:22:44,896 --> 00:22:51,169 HEAR FROM HER. >> DO YOU DELIBERATELY WANT THE CHILDREN OF CONSERVATIVE FAMILIES? 179 00:22:51,236 --> 00:22:57,008 >> WE CERTAINLY CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH EVEN THE MOST CONSERVATIVE FAMILIES IN AFGHANISTAN WOULD FEEL 180 00:22:57,075 --> 00:23:02,414 COMFORTABLE SENDING THEIR DAUGHTERS. >> DO THEY? >> THEY DO. 181 00:23:02,481 --> 00:23:08,186 >> DO YOU TEACH THE QURAN? >> WE DO. FOR THESE YOUNG WOMEN TO BE EFFECTIVE LEADERS OF 182 00:23:08,253 --> 00:23:14,526 AFGHANISTAN, THEY HAVE TO BE GREAT MUSLIMS, GREAT AFGHANS, AND HIGHLY EDUCATED. >> AT THE START OF 2021, SOLA 183 00:23:14,593 --> 00:23:22,968 WAS THRIVING. SHABANA HAD SECURED LAND IN KABUL, AND CONSTRUCTION WAS UNDERWAY ON A NEW CAMPUS. 184 00:23:23,034 --> 00:23:29,341 THERE WERE A RECORD NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS, WITH STUDENTS ENROLLED FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. 185 00:23:29,407 --> 00:23:36,214 AND SOLA GRADUATES WERE DOING JUST WHAT SHABANA HAD ENVISIONED. FATIMA HAD FINISHED COLLEGE AND 186 00:23:36,281 --> 00:23:43,655 WAS WORKING AT THE AFGHAN MINISTRY OF FINANCE. >> I WAS A PROFESSIONAL WOMAN. I WAS CONTRIBUTING. 187 00:23:43,722 --> 00:23:48,393 I ALSO HAD ALL OF MY FRIENDS WHO WERE EDUCATED WOMEN AND MEN AS WELL. >> SO THERE WAS A LITTLE 188 00:23:48,460 --> 00:23:54,266 COMMUNITY. >> YES. >> BUT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAD BEEN NEGOTIATING WITH A 189 00:23:54,332 --> 00:24:01,072 NEWLY EMBOLDENED TALIBAN, PROMISING A WITHDRAWAL OF U.S. TROOPS. AND THEN IN APRIL OF 2021, 190 00:24:01,139 --> 00:24:09,681 PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCED AN UNCONDITIONAL EXIT. >> I'VE CONCLUDED THAT IT'S TIME TO END AMERICA'S LONGEST WAR. 191 00:24:09,748 --> 00:24:21,293 IT'S TIME FOR AMERICAN TROOPS TO COME HOME. >> I KNEW THEN THAT IT WAS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT WAS 192 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:27,866 GOING TO BE IRRESPONSIBLE OF ME TO RUN AN ALL-GIRLS BOARDING SCHOOL IN KABUL. >> SHE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF 193 00:24:27,933 --> 00:24:33,471 TAKING THE WHOLE SOLA COMMUNITY, STUDENTS AND STAFF, ABROAD FOR A SEMESTER WHILE THE AMERICAN WITHDRAWAL PLAYED OUT. 194 00:24:33,538 --> 00:24:43,081 SO SHE STARTED SEARCHING FOR A COUNTRY, IDEALLY ONE NEARBY, THAT WOULD ACCEPT THEM. BUT THE WARMEST RESPONSE SHE GOT 195 00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:49,387 BY FAR WAS FROM RWANDA, AND SHE GRABBED IT. >> YOU WERE GOING TO GO TO A PLACE CALLED RWANDA. 196 00:24:49,454 --> 00:24:55,227 >> RWANDA. >> DID YOU KNOW ANYTHING? >> WE ALL WENT AND SEARCHED, AND THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS IN 197 00:24:55,293 --> 00:25:00,999 AFRICA, AND I WAS, LIKE, "WOW, OH, MY GOD, I'M SO EXCITED." [ LAUGHTER ] >> SOME OF SOLA'S ALUMS, 198 00:25:01,066 --> 00:25:07,439 INCLUDING SAJIA AND FATIMA, WERE ASKED TO COME AS WELL. >> SO WAS THE IDEA AT THAT MOMENT THAT YOU WERE ESCAPING 199 00:25:07,505 --> 00:25:13,812 AND THAT YOU WEREN'T GOING TO COME BACK FOR A WHILE? >> NO. THE IDEA WAS THAT THE SECURITY 200 00:25:13,879 --> 00:25:20,151 IS GETTING WORSE. WE WOULD LEAVE FOR -- FOR A, YOU KNOW, SEMESTER. AND THEN IF THE SECURITY GETS 201 00:25:20,218 --> 00:25:27,292 BETTER, WE WOULD COME BACK. IF NOT, WE WOULD STAY THERE FOR A YEAR OR MORE. >> WHAT WAS THE ATMOSPHERE IN 202 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:34,966 KABUL AT THAT POINT? >> THE PROVINCES WERE, YOU KNOW, FALLING ONE AFTER ANOTHER, BUT THEN WE WERE NOT HOPING FOR 203 00:25:35,033 --> 00:25:41,673 KABUL TO FALL THIS SOON. >> THE U.S. GOVERNMENT WASN'T EXPECTING KABUL TO FALL SOON EITHER. 204 00:25:41,740 --> 00:25:49,314 AS AMERICAN SOLDIERS PREPARED FOR AN ANNOUNCED END-OF-AUGUST DEPARTURE, SOLA BROUGHT IN PASSPORT OFFICIALS ON AUGUST 205 00:25:49,381 --> 00:25:57,188 14th TO PROCESS THE GIRLS' PAPERWORK FOR FLIGHTS A FEW DAYS LATER. THEY WORKED INTO THE NIGHT, BUT 206 00:25:57,255 --> 00:26:03,995 UNBEKNOWNST TO ALL OF THEM, IT WAS TOO LATE. THE TALIBAN WERE CLOSING IN AND WOULD ENTER KABUL IN JUST A FEW 207 00:26:04,062 --> 00:26:12,103 HOURS. >> IT WAS 5:00 A.M. IN THE MORNING WHEN I GOT A KNOCK ON MY DOOR. 208 00:26:12,170 --> 00:26:18,944 >> ONE OF MY TEACHERS CAME AND SAID THAT, "YOU GUYS HAVE TO LEAVE SOLA IN FIVE MINUTES." AND I SAID THAT, "WHY?" 209 00:26:19,010 --> 00:26:25,550 AND SHE SAID, "IF THE TALIBAN COME, THEY WILL KNOW THAT HERE IS A SCHOOL, AND THEY WILL KILL ALL OF US." 210 00:26:25,617 --> 00:26:31,356 >> ALL OF THE GIRLS WAS SHOUTING, AND ALL -- ALL OF US CRYING, "WHAT SHOULD WE DO?" TALIBAN CAME TO THE KABUL AND 211 00:26:31,423 --> 00:26:38,029 TOOK ALL OF KABUL. >> IN THE CHAOS OF THE TALIBAN TAKEOVER AND GOVERNMENT COLLAPSE, SOLA QUICKLY SENT 212 00:26:38,096 --> 00:26:46,471 STUDENTS HOME WITH TEACHERS AND STAFF. SHABANA SCRAMBLED TO TRANSFORM WHAT WAS TO BE AN ORDERLY 213 00:26:46,538 --> 00:26:59,351 DEPARTURE INTO A SUDDEN, LIFE-THREATENING ESCAPE. BUT FIRST, SHE HAD TO KEEP A PROMISE...ONE SHE'D MADE YEARS 214 00:26:59,417 --> 00:27:05,824 EARLIER TO A STUDENT'S FATHER. >> HE SAID, "PROMISE ME, WHEN THE TALIBAN COME TO KABUL, THAT YOU WILL BURN MY DAUGHTER'S 215 00:27:05,890 --> 00:27:15,433 RECORDS. IF THEY FIND OUT THAT SHE'S A STUDENT HERE, THEY WILL KILL ME AND MY FAMILY." 216 00:27:15,500 --> 00:27:20,972 >> SO SHABANA DID SOMETHING HEARTBREAKING...SET FIRE, IN THE SCHOOL'S FURNACE AND COURTYARD, TO THE HARD-EARNED RECORDS OF 217 00:27:21,039 --> 00:27:33,151 ALL OF SOLA'S STUDENTS. >> IT WAS INCREDIBLY PAINFUL. IT FELT LIKE MAKING THEM DISAPPEAR. 218 00:27:33,218 --> 00:27:39,758 >> THE GIRLS OF SOLA...THEIR ESCAPE FROM KABUL, AND HOW THEY'RE DOING TODAY, WHEN WE COME BACK. 219 00:27:51,136 --> 00:28:02,447 >>> MOST OF US REMEMBER THE DESPERATE, FRANTIC CROWDS TRYING TO GET OUT OF KABUL AFTER THE TALIBAN TAKEOVER IN AUGUST 2021. 220 00:28:02,514 --> 00:28:11,189 AMONG THEM WERE THE STUDENTS, TEACHERS, STAFF AND STAFF FAMILIES OF SOLA, 256 PEOPLE IN ALL. 221 00:28:11,256 --> 00:28:19,130 SOLA'S FOUNDER, SHABANA BASIJ-RASIKH, MANAGED TO GET ALL OF THEM ON U.S.-APPROVED LISTS TO LEAVE THE COUNTRY, BUT 222 00:28:19,197 --> 00:28:28,373 GETTING THEM INTO THE AIRPORT WAS ANOTHER MATTER ALL TOGETHER. THERE WERE A SERIES OF TALIBAN CHECKPOINTS, SO ARRIVING 223 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:35,947 TOGETHER AS A GIRLS' SCHOOL WAS OUT OF THE QUESTION. SOLA DIVIDED THE STUDENTS INTO GROUPS, WITH MANY POSING AS THE 224 00:28:36,014 --> 00:28:47,959 CHILDREN OF STAFF MEMBERS. THE CALL WENT OUT FOR ALL THE GROUPS TO HEAD TO THE AIRPORT ON THE MORNING OF AUGUST 17th. 225 00:28:48,026 --> 00:28:58,570 THE PREVIOUS DAY HAD BEEN CHAOS. PEOPLE HAD BEEN CLINGING TO AIRPLANES, AND CROWDS HAD DESCENDED ON THE AIRPORT. 226 00:28:58,636 --> 00:29:07,212 SISTERS FATIMA, SAJIA, AND AYDIN PREPARED TO GO THERE TOGETHER. >> WE HAD OUR MASKS, WE MADE SURE OUR SCARVES ARE PUT 227 00:29:07,278 --> 00:29:12,884 TIGHTLY, AND WE WERE WEARING VERY LONG DRESSES. >> WHEN WE LEFT, MY MOM WAS TELLING US THAT, "MAKE SURE THAT 228 00:29:12,951 --> 00:29:18,723 YOU DON'T DO EYE CONTACT WITH -- WITH TALIBS. SO WE WERE JUST REALLY SCARED. AND THEN I WAS JUST, LIKE -- 229 00:29:18,790 --> 00:29:23,828 >> IF I LOOK DOWN, THEY WON'T LOOK AT ME. >> YES. >> BY THE TIME WE GOT CLOSER TO 230 00:29:23,895 --> 00:29:31,469 THE AIRPORT, IT WAS SO CROWDED. >> THE WEATHER IS HOT, AND I HAVE THIS BLACK SCARF AND BLACK MASK. 231 00:29:31,536 --> 00:29:38,843 AND IT'S SUFFOCATING. >> PEOPLE WAS PUSHING EACH OTHER AND SHOUTING. AND ALL OF THE BABIES CRYING. 232 00:29:38,910 --> 00:29:45,183 >> I SAW TALIBAN THAT THEY WERE -- THEY WERE SHOOTING THE GUNS. AND ALSO THE -- 233 00:29:45,250 --> 00:29:50,989 >> THEY WERE SHOOTING GUNS? >> LIKE, THE BULLETS -- >> -- INTO THE SKY. >> TALIBAN SHOOTING IN AIR, 234 00:29:51,055 --> 00:29:57,896 PEOPLE RUNNING. >> SOMEONE TOOK MY SCARF. IT WAS IN MY HEAD, AND THEN SOMEONE -- AND THE TALIB SAW ME, 235 00:29:57,962 --> 00:30:03,134 AND I SHOUTED, AND I SAID THAT, "THEY WILL KILL ME NOW." >> AS A TEACHER QUICKLY HANDED NAJIA A SCARF, FATIMA AND HER 236 00:30:03,201 --> 00:30:07,405 SISTERS WERE BEING JOSTLED BY THE CROWD. >> EVERYBODY WAS PUSHING AND IN A MOMENT, I NOTICED THAT MY 237 00:30:07,472 --> 00:30:13,311 SISTERS AREN'T THERE. >> AT ONE POINT, SHE WAS GONE. >> SO NOW IT'S JUST THE TWO OF YOU? 238 00:30:13,378 --> 00:30:18,016 >> I REMEMBER SITTING THERE AND THEN CRYING. AND I WAS, LIKE, "AYDIN, I DON'T WANT TO GO. 239 00:30:18,082 --> 00:30:22,754 CAN WE JUST STOP HERE? YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST GO BACK." >> HONESTLY, I UNDERSTAND. I -- I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE DOPE 240 00:30:22,820 --> 00:30:33,364 JUST WHAT YOU DID. >> IT WAS A TRAGEDY, YOU KNOW, WITH WOMEN HAVING, LIKE, THEIR VERY YOUNG KIDS. 241 00:30:33,431 --> 00:30:39,204 I WAS, LIKE, "I JUST CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE." >> I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT LISTENING 242 00:30:39,270 --> 00:30:45,510 TO ME, AND THEN ONE OF SOLA TEACHERS CAME AND TOLD HER THAT, "YOU GOTTA STAND UP, GO, OR STAY HERE FOREVER." 243 00:30:45,577 --> 00:30:50,882 AND THEN I TOOK HER HAND AND THEN WE WENT. >> THE THREE SISTERS WERE AMONG MORE THAN A HUNDRED SOLA 244 00:30:50,949 --> 00:31:00,458 STUDENTS AND STAFF, INCLUDING SHABANA, WHO MADE IT INTO THE U.S. MILITARY-CONTROLLED AIRPORT TO SAFETY THAT DAY, AND WERE 245 00:31:00,525 --> 00:31:07,265 PROCESSED TO LEAVE ON WAITING JETS. SHABANA WAS TOLD HER NAME WAS ON A TALIBAN HIT LIST, SO SHE 246 00:31:07,332 --> 00:31:13,104 SHOULD GET OUT RIGHT AWAY WITH THEM. BUT ALL THE OTHER STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WERE STILL STUCK IN THE 247 00:31:13,171 --> 00:31:21,346 CROWDS OUTSIDE. SHABANA REFUSED TO GO. >> I KNEW IF I -- IF I LEFT, IT WAS GAME OVER. 248 00:31:21,412 --> 00:31:26,918 THOSE WHO WERE STUCK AT DIFFERENT CHECKPOINTS HAD NO WAY OF GETTING THROUGH. >> PEOPLE WERE PUSHING US. 249 00:31:26,985 --> 00:31:35,927 >> ONE OF THEM WAS ZAHRA. >> TALIBAN WAS SAYING, "SIT," AND THERE WAS NO PLACE TO SIT. >> ZAHRA'S GROUP AND OTHERS HAD 250 00:31:35,994 --> 00:31:47,672 TO TURN BACK, WHILE SHABANA SPENT A FIRST SLEEPLESS NIGHT INSIDE THE AIRPORT. AFTER TWO MORE DAYS OF WAITING 251 00:31:47,739 --> 00:31:54,412 IN THESE THRONGS, ONE LAST GROUP OF 52 WAS STILL STUCK. SHABANA ASKED A U.S. MARINE CAPTAIN TO ACCOMPANY HER OUT OF 252 00:31:54,479 --> 00:32:02,987 THE SAFETY OF THE AIRPORT AND BACK TO THE TALIBAN CHECKPOINT. CAPTAIN NICHOLAS GREY GRABBED TWO MEMBERS OF HIS TEAM AND 253 00:32:03,054 --> 00:32:08,259 SAID, "LET'S DO THIS." >> YOU WERE IN THE AIRPORT AND WENT OUT. >> AND THEN WENT BACK. 254 00:32:08,326 --> 00:32:15,333 THIS IS WHAT YOU DO. YOU HAVE 10-YEAR-OLD GIRLS, 11-YEAR-OLD GIRLS, 15-YEAR-OLD GIRLS STUCK ON THE OTHER SIDE. 255 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:20,505 YOU DO ANYTHING YOU CAN TO GET THEM TO SAFETY. >> AND SHE SHOUTED, "SURAYA, SURAYA, COME THIS WAY." 256 00:32:20,571 --> 00:32:26,344 AND I PUSHED, I PUSHED, I PUSHED AND I GET HER HAND, AND -- >> AND SHE PULLED YOU? >> YEAH. 257 00:32:26,411 --> 00:32:33,117 >> OH, MY GOODNESS. >> THESE PICTURES WERE TAKEN AS THE VERY LAST GROUP OF STUDENTS -- AND SHABANA, AFTER 258 00:32:33,184 --> 00:32:41,726 THREE DAYS AND TWO NIGHTS IN THAT AIRPORT -- BOARDED THE MILITARY TRANSPORT PLANE THAT WOULD AT LAST FLY THEM AWAY. 259 00:32:41,793 --> 00:32:49,033 SHE HAD MANAGED TO GET EVERYONE OUT -- 256 PEOPLE. >> YOU HAVE TO SAY TO YOURSELF, "I DID IT, IT'S OVER, I GOT 260 00:32:49,100 --> 00:33:01,212 EVERYBODY OUT." >> IT WAS FINALLY HAVING A MOMENT TO THINK ABOUT -- OH, MY GOD, THIS IS IT. 261 00:33:01,279 --> 00:33:12,423 >> OH MY GOD, THIS IS IT. SO NOW YOU'RE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE. >> WE'RE LEAVING, YOU KNOW? 262 00:33:12,490 --> 00:33:19,297 AND I WAS TAKING WITH ME FROM AFGHANISTAN SOME OF THE BEST EDUCATED GIRLS, WOMEN LEADERS IN THE MAKING. 263 00:33:19,364 --> 00:33:32,009 I FELT SO HEARTBROKEN FOR OUR PEOPLE, FOR AFGHANISTAN. I FELT HEARTBROKEN FOR THE VERY PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAVING. 264 00:33:32,076 --> 00:33:37,782 THEY ARE SOME OF THE MOST WANTED TALENT IN AFGHANISTAN. AND AS SOON AS THEY STEP OUTSIDE OF THIS AIRPORT, THEY ARE GOING 265 00:33:37,849 --> 00:33:43,388 TO BE SEEN AS UNWANTED REFUGEES WHEREVER THEY END UP. >> HELLO. >> GOOD MORNING. 266 00:33:43,454 --> 00:33:49,460 >> BUT HER STUDENTS ARE HAVING A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. IN RWANDA, THEY HAVE BEEN WELCOMED. 267 00:33:49,527 --> 00:33:54,799 >> GOOD MORNING! HOW ARE YOU TODAY? >> WE FOUND THEM DRESSED IN NEW SCHOOL UNIFORMS, SINCE EACH OF 268 00:33:54,866 --> 00:34:00,638 THEM HAD FLED WITH JUST A BACKPACK. >> I LOVE WHAT YOU'RE WEARING. >> THANK YOU. 269 00:34:00,705 --> 00:34:07,044 >> THEY'RE HAND-SEWN WITH RWANDAN PATTERNS TO HONOR THEIR ADOPTED HOME. >> YOU LIKE IT HERE? 270 00:34:07,111 --> 00:34:14,919 >> YES! >> YOU WOULDN'T KNOW THEY'D BEEN AWAY FROM THEIR FAMILIES FOR MORE THAN A YEAR. 271 00:34:14,986 --> 00:34:22,894 >> SOLA'S TEMPORARY CAMPUS HERE FEELS LIKE A HAVEN. IT'S A FORMER HOTEL COMPLEX. ITS RESTAURANT NOW A DINING 272 00:34:22,960 --> 00:34:31,335 HALL, WITH CLASSROOMS CONVERTED FROM HOTEL SUITES. >> DIVISION! >> THEY'RE GETTING ON WITH THE 273 00:34:31,402 --> 00:34:37,175 BUSINESS OF LEARNING, MASTERING MATH TERMS. >> NUMERATOR. >> IN ENGLISH! 274 00:34:37,241 --> 00:34:46,184 >> DENOMINATOR. >> WITH MANY OF THEIR AFGHAN TEACHERS NOW RESETTLED AS REFUGEES IN OTHER COUNTRIES, 275 00:34:46,250 --> 00:34:49,887 SOLA HAS BROUGHT IN NEW TEACHERS FROM ABROAD. >> THAT WAS GREAT. GOOD JOB. 276 00:34:49,954 --> 00:34:54,592 >> THIS IS A SCHOOL FOR LEADERSHIP. >> YEAH. >> YOU THINK THAT YOU'LL BECOME 277 00:34:54,659 --> 00:34:59,964 LEADERS? >> YEAH. >> YES, OF COURSE. >> I WANT TO BE A SURGEON. 278 00:35:00,031 --> 00:35:05,937 >> I WANT TO HELP POOR PEOPLE IN AFGHANISTAN. >> I WANT TO BE A POLITICIAN WOMAN. 279 00:35:06,003 --> 00:35:11,075 >> A POLITICIAN? >> YEAH. >> SURAYA WANTS TO BE AN ASTRONAUT. 280 00:35:11,142 --> 00:35:15,446 >> SPACEWOMAN. >> AND, FINALLY, FROM ZAHRA. >> I WANT TO BE A SPY. >> A SPY? 281 00:35:15,513 --> 00:35:22,854 >> YEAH. [ LAUGHTER ] THAT CAME OUT OF NOWHERE. >> HOW ARE THE GIRLS DOING? 282 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:29,727 >> OUR STUDENTS, OUR GIRLS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENTLY AND REMARKABLY FOCUSED. IT IS BEYOND INSPIRING TO SEE 283 00:35:29,794 --> 00:35:34,432 THESE YOUNG GIRLS WHO KNOW THEY HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO REUNITE WITH THEIR FAMILIES. 284 00:35:34,499 --> 00:35:43,508 >> BUT THOUGH THEY'RE MORE THAN 3,000 MILES AWAY... >> ONE BY ONE, PLEASE. >> IT IS THE 21st CENTURY. 285 00:35:43,574 --> 00:35:53,518 ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING SCENES WE SAW HERE WAS THE DAILY HOUR, AFTER CLASSES END, WHEN GIRLS CAN CALL THEIR FAMILIES. 286 00:35:53,584 --> 00:36:01,492 WATCHING THEM SCATTERED AROUND THE ROOM IS TO FEEL THE TREMENDOUS SEPARATION. BUT SHABANA ALSO SEES THE 287 00:36:01,559 --> 00:36:10,034 CLOSENESS. >> YESTERDAY I WAS WATCHING SWIMMING PRACTICE, AND ONE OF THEM SAID, "I'VE BEEN WANTING TO 288 00:36:10,101 --> 00:36:17,375 LEARN HOW TO FLOAT FOR SUCH A LONG TIME, AND I CAN FINALLY DO IT TODAY." AND I ASKED HER, I SAID, "DO YOU 289 00:36:17,441 --> 00:36:21,078 SHARE THESE KINDS OF MOMENTS WITH YOUR FAMILY?" SHE SAID, "I SHARE EVERY SINGLE THING WITH MY FAMILY." 290 00:36:21,145 --> 00:36:31,188 >> OH. >> AND THEY ARE SO HAPPY FOR ME. THEY TELL ME THAT THEY ARE HAPPY BECAUSE I'M HAPPY. 291 00:36:31,255 --> 00:36:37,762 >> WHAT'S THE RECEPTION BEEN LIKE IN RWANDA? >> REMARKABLE DOESN'T QUITE CAPTURE IT. 292 00:36:37,828 --> 00:36:44,435 >> I'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH SO MANY RWANDANS SAYING, "PLEASE DON'T FORGET, WE WERE ALSO ONCE REFUGEES. 293 00:36:44,502 --> 00:36:53,945 HERE WE ARE BACK IN RWANDA. YOU WILL GO BACK HOME, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, WELCOME HOME TO RWANDA." 294 00:36:54,011 --> 00:36:59,784 >> WOW. >> WHY DOES THAT HAPPEN? DID I THROW IT? >> NO. 295 00:36:59,850 --> 00:37:07,792 >> ON EARTH, THERE IS GRAVITY. >> WATCHING THESE GIRLS LEARN, WE WERE STRUCK BY THE REALIZATION THAT THEY ARE AMONG 296 00:37:07,858 --> 00:37:16,734 THE ONLY AFGHAN MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS, OUT OF A COUNTRY OF 40 MILLION, WHO ARE GETTING A FORMAL EDUCATION. 297 00:37:16,801 --> 00:37:25,776 >> BUT KNOWING HOW FORTUNATE THEY ARE HAS MADE HEARING THE NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN THAT MUCH MORE PAINFUL. 298 00:37:25,843 --> 00:37:31,649 FATIMA'S FEMALE CO-WORKERS AT THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE HAVE ALL BEEN REPLACED. >> MY FEMALE COLLEAGUES RECEIVED 299 00:37:31,716 --> 00:37:36,854 PHONE CALLS SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD SEND ONE OF THEIR MALE FAMILY MEMBERS TO WORK INSTEAD OF THEM. 300 00:37:36,921 --> 00:37:44,328 >> SO WAIT A MINUTE. THEY WERE BEING TOLD TO SEND MALE RELATIVES TO TAKE THEIR JOB -- THEIR JOBS? 301 00:37:44,395 --> 00:37:51,702 >> AS LONG AS THEY CAN DO THE JOB, THEY SHOULD SEND THEM. >> A YEAR AGO MARCH, THE TALIBAN ANNOUNCED THAT GIRLS' SCHOOLS 302 00:37:51,769 --> 00:38:02,880 WOULD REOPEN. GIRLS FLOCKED IN, ONLY TO BE TOLD HOURS LATER TO GO HOME AND STAY THERE. 303 00:38:02,947 --> 00:38:10,888 >> ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA WERE VIDEOS OF THESE YOUNG GIRLS CRYING. AND THEN I WAS SO MAD ON 304 00:38:10,955 --> 00:38:17,161 EVERYBODY FOR -- FOR NOT DOING ANYTHING. >> YOU MEAN THE REST OF THE WORLD? 305 00:38:17,228 --> 00:38:21,832 >> THIS BUNCH OF MEN HAS TAKEN THE CONTROL OF AN ENTIRE COUNTRY, AND THEY ARE DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT. 306 00:38:21,899 --> 00:38:26,203 >> WOMEN HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO COVER THEMSELVES HEAD TO TOE AGAIN. THEY'RE BANNED FROM PUBLIC 307 00:38:26,270 --> 00:38:37,848 PARKS. AND JUST MONTHS AGO BANNED FROM UNIVERSITIES AS WELL. HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF. 308 00:38:37,915 --> 00:38:45,256 AND IF THERE'S ONE MEMBER OF THE SOLA COMMUNITY WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT AFGHAN GIRLS TODAY ARE FACING, IT'S MARYAM, THE 309 00:38:45,322 --> 00:38:52,196 SCHOOL'S LONGTIME CLEANING WOMAN, AND NOW SEAMSTRESS. SHE KNOWS THE POWER OF AN EDUCATION, BECAUSE SHE NEVER GOT 310 00:38:52,263 --> 00:38:57,968 ONE. >> Translator: THE TALIBAN WERE IN POWER AT THAT TIME. I MEAN THE FIRST TIME THE 311 00:38:58,035 --> 00:39:03,307 TALIBAN WERE IN POWER. I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO GO TO SCHOOL. GIRLS COULD NOT STUDY. 312 00:39:03,374 --> 00:39:11,315 >> MARYAM, CAN YOU READ OR WRITE? >> Translator: I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO, BUT I CAN'T. 313 00:39:11,382 --> 00:39:20,291 IF I COULD'VE GONE TO SCHOOL, I WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY. IT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME. >> BUT THERE IS SOMETHING THAT 314 00:39:20,357 --> 00:39:26,797 MAKES HER HAPPY THESE DAYS WATCHING HER 9th GRADE DAUGHTER ZARMINA, WHO IS NOW A STUDENT AT SOLA. 315 00:39:26,864 --> 00:39:33,504 TALKING ABOUT ZARMINA'S FUTURE, WE FINALLY SAW MARYAM'S SMILE. >> ARE YOU PROUD OF YOUR DAUGHTER? 316 00:39:33,571 --> 00:39:40,978 >> YES, YES. YES. >> WE CANNOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES SUBMIT TO 317 00:39:41,045 --> 00:39:46,817 TALIBAN'S VISION FOR AFGHANISTAN. AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US? IT MEANS CONTINUE TO EDUCATE 318 00:39:46,884 --> 00:39:53,090 MORE AFGHAN GIRLS. >> BUT HOW? WELL, SHE'S RECRUITING THEM...OVER ZOOM...FROM AFGHAN 319 00:39:53,157 --> 00:40:03,701 REFUGEE COMMUNITIES AND CAMPS IN COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD, TO BRING THEM HERE TO RWANDA. >> WHAT SHOULD THE U.S. 320 00:40:03,768 --> 00:40:09,573 GOVERNMENT BE DOING, IN YOUR VIEW? >> THE ONE THING THAT THE U.S. POLICYMAKERS CANNOT -- CANNOT 321 00:40:09,640 --> 00:40:14,278 AFFORD TO DO IS TO FORGET ABOUT AFGHANISTAN. DO NOT LOOK AWAY. DO NOT LOOK AWAY FROM 322 00:40:14,345 --> 00:40:22,720 AFGHANISTAN. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THAT ENOUGH. >> AND WHAT SHE WANTS THEM TO SEE, ALONGSIDE THE ONGOING 323 00:40:22,787 --> 00:40:33,864 TRAGEDY IN THAT COUNTRY, IS SOLA'S VISION...EDUCATED GIRLS COMMITTED TO ONE DAY BEING LEADERS OF A DIFFERENT 324 00:40:33,931 --> 00:40:39,703 AFGHANISTAN. >> WE ARE ALL AFGHANS... "WE ARE ALL AFGHANS," THEY SAY. "WE LOVE AFGHANISTAN. 325 00:40:39,770 --> 00:40:47,077 WE WILL TRY OUR BEST AND WORK HARD TO IMPROVE OUR BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY." ...TO IMPROVE OUR BEAUTIFUL 326 00:40:47,144 --> 00:40:52,383 COUNTRY. >> YOU SAY THIS EVERY DAY? >> YEAH. >> WE REPEAT IT EVERY DAY THAT 327 00:40:52,449 --> 00:40:58,255 IT -- IT'S STUCK IN OUR HEART. >> DO YOU ALL THINK YOU'LL GO BACK? >> YEAH, OF COURSE. 328 00:40:58,322 --> 00:41:04,628 OF COURSE WE WILL GO. [ LAUGHTER ] >> IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU WON'T GO BACK TO AFGHANISTAN? 329 00:41:04,695 --> 00:41:16,307 IS IT POSSIBLE? >> I SPEND EVERY WAKING HOUR PREPARING FOR A RETURN. >> IT WILL HAPPEN. 330 00:41:16,373 --> 00:41:24,248 >> I'VE BORROWED A STONE FROM THE AIRPORT. I NEED TO RETURN. >> SINCE OUR STORY FIRST AIRED, 331 00:41:24,315 --> 00:41:32,189 SOLA HAS CONTINUED TO BRING NEW AFGHAN STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO RWANDA, AND IS DEVELOPING AN ONLINE ACADEMY 332 00:41:32,256 --> 00:41:40,698 CALLED SOLA X. AND IN JUNE, SHABANA SPOKE TO THE U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL, URGING THE WORLD NOT TO LOOK 333 00:41:40,764 --> 00:41:45,436 AWAY FROM THE PLIGHT OF AFGHAN GIRLS. 334 00:41:54,011 --> 00:42:12,129 >>> I'M LESLEY STAHL. WE'LL BE BACK NEXT WEEK WITH ANOTHER EDITION OF "60 MINUTES."