Sijban village is located deep in the Swat Valley, which was ruled by the Taliban before a military operation by Pakistani army restored peace in the area.
Gul-e-Khandana, the school's head teacher, helped save the girls from the Taliban at the school where she taught. She oversees the morning assembly with her students.
Head teacher Gul Khandana prays with her students in a girl primary school.
Gul Khandana, a head teacher at Sijban girls primary school in Swat Valley attends morning assembly with her students.
Head teacher Gul Khandana inspects morning assembly at her girls primary school. Th village of Sijban and surrounding areas were under Taliban rule for a short period before Pakistani army operations began.
A girl prays during a morning school assembly at her primary school in the village Sijban, Swat Valley, Afghanistan.
Gul Khandana, the school's headmistress, with her students. Khanadana helped save the school from destruction at hands of Taliban during their short rule.
Gul Khandana along with her husband resisted pressure from Taliban to stop teaching at the girls school during their rule. She refused to give in to the threats and continued her work.
Gul Khandana in her office in girls primary school in village Sijban, Swat. Gul Khandana resisted the effort by local Taliban to burn down the girls school.
Gul Khandana with her students in a classroom. The Sijban girls primary school was saved from Taliban by Gul Khandana as she refused to let them destroy it.
Gul Khandana teaches at Sijban girls primary school in Swat Valley.
Headmistress Gul Khandana teaches a class. The school provides education at the primary level, however Gul would like the government to upgrade it to a middle category of schooling due to a rising demand for girls education.
Gul Khandana interacts with her student at a girls primary school in Sijban.
Gul Khandana teaches at Sijban girls primary school in the Swat Valley.The number of girls in the school has significantly increased since peace was restored in the area.
Gul Khandana teaches at Sijban girls primary school in Swat Valley. The school was saved by destruction by Gul Khandana when Taliban threatened to burn it down.
Girls studying at Sijban primary school in Swat.
Gul Khandana teaches at Sijban girls primary school in Swat Valley. The school was damaged during the military operation even though it survived the Taliban rule.
A view from inside Sijban girls primary school in Swat Valley. The school was saved by destruction by Gul Khandana when Taliban threatened to burn it down.
Girls sing in Sijban primary school in Swat Valley Pakistan.
Girls at Sijban primary school in the Swat Valley. The valley was under Taliban rule for a short time before the Pakistani army took over.
Girls outside the Sijban primary school in Swat Valley.
Swat valley was very popular with local and foreign tourists before the Taliban takeover. Although peace was restored in the area, foreigners are still not advised to visit without permission of the Pakistani army, who continue to have a strong military presence in the valley four years after the operation.
The Swat valley is famous for its orchards and beautiful weather. The valley was off limits to any tourists during Taliban rule.
The Swat valley is returning to normalcy after two long years of turbulence at the hands of the Taliban.
Gul-e-Khandana, a school teacher, helped save the girls school she taught in from the destruction of the Taliban. During their short rule in the Swat Valley, the Taliban attempted to burn the school down. Gul-e- Khandana is now the head teacher in the same school after peace was restored in the area.
A girl prays during the morning school assembly in a small village called Sijban, deep in the Swat Valley. Gul Khandana, a school teacher, helped save the school from the destruction during the Taliban's short rule, during which they attempted to burn it down.
Head teacher, Gul Khandana oversees the morning assembly with her students. The Taliban threatened to burn the school down during their short rule.
Swat Valley, Pakistan.
School teacher Gul Khandera’s stubborn resistance to the Taliban has made her a heroine in her hometown of Siljbon, and a voice for girls' education rights in Pakistan. The school where Gul Khandera was teaching, which also happens to be the school where Gul herself was educated, was threatened by the Taliban because it had female students.
Gul Khandera's refusal to comply with the Taliban's demands made her a personal target, forcing her to move to Mardan. When the Taliban were ousted from Swat, Gul returned and was relieved to see that her school had not been destroyed. Now a considered a hero, Gul has become headmaster of the school and is working to re-establish education for girls in the Swat Valley.