Marina's Shirt
Marina Musleh ’24 (Renfrew) donated this shirt to Shawnigan Lake School as a way to thank the community for providing her with what she claims to be “the path that changed my whole life direction in a very positive way.”
The Taliban took over the government of Afghanistan in August of 2021, and banned education for girls above Grade 6. Marina could not accept that under the new regime she would not be able to complete her education – a prerequisite to living an independent life. So she reached out to Women Leaders of Tomorrow, a Vancouver-based non-profit that finds overseas scholarships for young Afghan women, and they connected Marina with Shawnigan.
As an Afghan woman under the Taliban, Marina was not able to acquire the documents required to travel to Canada, so she had to leave her country for Pakistan, where she would be able to apply for a visa. On the eve of her departure, Marina’s mother presented her with a shirt onto which she had sewn two pockets: one on the front and one on the back. The pockets would house Marina’s documents, concealing them from the border guards at the four checkpoints she had to pass through before arriving at her temporary home in Pakistan. She wore the shirt as an undergarment, covered by a long, loose, black dress.
At a deeply moving assembly at the end of the 2023-2024 school year, Marina told parts of her story and then donated her shirt to the School. Today the shirt stands as a symbol of Marina’s remarkable courage, risking her life in order to acquire an education. The shirt also symbolizes her gratitude to Shawnigan for not only providing her with financial support through an Impact Scholarship, but the supportive community that fully embraced her during her two years at the School. As she reflects on her journey, Marina modestly dismisses any accolades remarking on her incredible courage, insisting that: “I was not scared of dying, but I was scared of not being able to truly live.”
Shawnigan offers Impact Scholarships for new and returning students that have faced conflict, discrimination, or circumstances that impede their access to the growth and development that education offers. These youth, through their life experience and commitment to education, will not only benefit enormously from the well-rounded education that Shawnigan offers, but they will have an even greater positive impact on Shawnigan students, teachers, and the wider community.
The information presented in this write-up is based on current information available in the School's Archives and consultation with key people who have some relevant connection to this "object." If you have further information about this "object" that you would like to contribute, please contact the School’s Advancement Office at alumni@shawnigan.ca.
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Shawnigan Lake School is an independent co-educational boarding school for ages 13 –18 on Canada’s beautiful West Coast. Our diverse, interdisciplinary and innovative programming helps shape the next generation of global leaders.
