Jawed Atahi was born on May 7th, 1995 in Jaghori, Afghanistan. Jawed is an Afghan refugee who is currently living in Melbourne Australia, pursuing his degree in Masters of Evidence-Based Teaching (research) at The University of Melbourne. He comes from a country where education is still considered a taboo and forbidden. At a very young age, Jawed decided to be an inspiration for others. His desire to be a teacher and a mentor has motivated him to travel all the way to a First-World Country. Jawed developed a passion for reading books at a very small age. His impressive reading speed and prodigious reading has been a real help while writing his first ever book, “The Lost Refugee”. For as long as his parents remember his childhood, Jawed has always been seen with a book while children of his age would prefer playing with toys. His parents always knew he had a spark in him that would set him apart from the rest. When he was young, he told his parents that he wanted to do something that inspires people. He wanted to be a teacher and a mentor for those under-privileged children who belong from families where baby girls are not welcomed with love, and the society sets an edict that no girl could go to school.
Luckily, this young Afghan refugee was born to a family that had a different mindset. Despite living in a society where education was available at the cost of human’s life, Jawed decided to change the traditional way of thinking. Through his book, Jawed communicates to the youngsters that they have the power to change the world, and they are the future of the world. Jawed sees the dignity which can only be offered by education. He has dedicated his career towards teaching and wants to ensure that all children have the right to go to school, irrespective of the gender, culture or values. Jawed was raised in a culture where early marriages are a common trend. Hence, through his book, which is a compiled version of all his thoughts, he wishes to motivate readers to realize the hidden power with-in themselves. His purpose is to be known as an education activist, an inspiration for the future generation, and for a thought that is passed along the coming generations. His book, “The Lost Refugee” talks about his struggles of being an Afghan citizen and his journey of moving to a First World Country.
Jawed sheds light on the patriarchal society which is commonly followed in Afghanistan. He explains how education is much harder for women living in a patriarchal society and who are often forced into early marriages. Through his book, Jawed acts as an inspiration for the young generation to have safe and equal access to education. He further wishes to inspire young children by mentioning the ups and downs he has encountered, serving as a motivation that nothing in this world is impossible to achieve unless there is hard work, and determination involved. Recently he has release a short illustrated book called "The Last Wave". He hopes that the book will shine a human light on the struggles and suffering of countless Refugees around the globe. The story illustrates the fear and struggles Refugees face during the boat journey. His both books are available on Kindle and Amazon.