In 2021, the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, barring young girls from schooling beyond sixth grade.
It was a devastating blow for Roya Mahboob, a tech entrepreneur who has dedicated her life to expanding girls’ access to education. She was the first female CEO of an Afghan technology company, but was forced to leave her country and resettle in New Jersey due to death threats.
In her absence, her nonprofit, the Digital Citizen Fund, closed all 13 of its technology centers.
Where others may have lost hope, Mahboob doubled down on her efforts.
She reassembled the Afghan Dreamers, the all-girls robotics team that now spans multiple countries and inspired the 2025 film “Rule Breakers.” She also launched Inoura Academy, a STEAM program for 11- to 18-year-olds with a global impact.
“Our robot, Ruby, is a conversational, AI-powered girl who teaches children to code and financial literacy through play, movement, and empathy,” Mahboob told The New York Times. “We combine robotics with art, storytelling, and comics to make learning fun.”
And she’s continuing her work back home in Afghanistan. In place of technology centers, Mahboob now relies on encrypted channels, underground classrooms, and a free offline app called Edy to continue teaching young girls in her home country.
“Based on my conversations with them, I estimate that we have reached 500 students this year,” she said. “And we have our app, Edy. My goal is to reach thousands of students when it officially launches. It’s dangerous work, but the courage of our students keeps us going.”
A version of this article originally appeared in the 2026 Feminist Edition of the Goodnewspaper.
Header image via Rule Breakers film
