Afghan Girls Robotics Team Awarded Silver Medal For 'Courageous Achievement'

Jacquelyn Martin/AP

Six Afghan girls came to American and suitcases full of determination. AOC was one of countless websites that pushed back on the US government's refusal to grant visa to the burgeoning teen robotics engineers to attend the FIRST Global Challenge in Washington DC. 

We celebrated when the visas were granted at the last moment, supposedly because President Trump stepped in to save the day. There is every probability that an appeal made its way to Ivanka Trump, who Tweeted in triumph when the news broke that indeed the visas had been granted. And with that final barrier breaking after two major defeats, the six young women headed for Washington DC, determined to prove that their "inspiring metal contraption that could speedily collect blue and orange balls in separate compartments — could compete against the best other robot creations from around the world in a global robot-off in Washington, D.C. this week", wrote Global Citizen. 

On Tuesday July 18, 2017 the Afghan team was awarded a special silver medal for "courageous achievement" at the FIRST Global Challenge. The New York Times added: 

For three days in the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall, where an African-American woman was once denied the right to sing before an integrated audience in the 1930s, the Afghan girls in head scarves were stars on an international stage, with cameras, lights and whispers trailing them from practice to competition.

Cliff Owen/Associated Press

After conquering all the obstacles on their way to America, the Afghan teenagers arrived as heroes, being asked for autographs on team shirts. Myanmar-team member Wai Yan Htun told the Times: "We love them. They're like superheroes in this competition. 

The day was one of triumph for female Afghan technology entrepreneur Roya Mahboob, who acted as an interpreter for the young women. It was her company, Digital Citizen Fund, a women's empowerment nonprofit that sponsored the Afghan team. 

Because of extreme delays in getting the competition's kit shipment through customs, the Afghan team build their robot in two weeks, compared to the four months that their competitors enjoyed. Test-driving their robot reflecting this time deficit when the competition launched. 

The Afghan robot, named Better Idea of Afghan Girls, lurched across the terrain for the first round and skirted out of bounds, but 15-year-old Lida Azizi, a teal-colored braid dangling from under her white head scarf, flashed her teammates a thumbs-up as they cheered in Dari and applauded. As the competition progressed, they continued to make adjustments as they got used to driving their robot, an Afghan flag carefully attached.

Team Europe took the gold, while the Polish and Armenian teams took silver and bronze, respectively. But all agree that the brightest light at the competition was centered on the Afghan team. 

Alireza Mehraban, an Afghan software engineer who is the team’s mentor, said after the competition concluded: "“We’re not terrorists,” he said. “We’re simple people with ideas. We need a chance to make our world better. This is our chance.”