A Bright Future for Taranom: A Story of Hope and Education
Every child has the right to learn.
The class has just ended, and Taranom is eagerly waiting for her father to come pick her up. She can hardly wait to share everything she learned today with her father. Originally from Afghanistan, 7-year-old Taranom now lives in the southeastern city of Zahedan in Iran with her parents and her little sister.
For refugee children, adapting to school can often be challenging. UNICEF is supporting an intensive school readiness programme in four provinces to help Afghan refugee children and the local host communities adapt to the school environment. The joint programme with the Ministry of Education provides four weeks of daily classes for boys and girls in the early years of primary school to improve basic skills in math, reading, writing, as well as social and emotional learning. Taranom is currently among the 2,300 Afghan and Iranian children participating in this programme, funded by EU humanitarian aid, ensuring they start the new academic year more prepared to learn.
“My father works a lot. He wants us to live happily,” Taranom says with a smile. She carefully describes her father’s job as a worker, emphasising how hard he works to provide for their family. Despite his busy schedule, Taranom shares a close bond with her father. “Taranom is a very sweet girl,” her father says proudly. “Even though she is very young, she always tries to help her mother with the household chores.”
Taranom dreams of becoming a teacher when she grows up. “I want to be a teacher so I can help everyone learn and become literate,” she says with determination. Her passion for education is evident, and she hopes to make a difference in her community one day.
The school readiness program has been a crucial part of Taranom’s journey. It provides a supportive environment where children can play, learn, and grow. These programmes are especially important for refugee children, offering them a safe space to develop essential life skills and manage the anxiety and trauma associated with displacement. As part of its country programme of cooperation 2023-2027, UNICEF is helping to ensure access for all children in Iran – including refugees – to quality education and learning services, in a participatory environment.
To support their enrollment at the beginning of the academic year, Taranom and her fellow classmates who participated in this programme received student kits. Funded by EU humanitarian aid, 1,600 student kits, including stationery and school bags, were distributed among Iranian and refugee children in Sistan and Baluchestan, Khorasan Razavi, and Isfahan.
