Hi, I am Sonia Ziaee. I am just completing my Bachelors of Commerce Degree in Accounting and Finance at Flinders University in South Australia.

I was born in Afghanistan, but I spent a lot of my childhood growing up in Pakistan, due to the war in my country. Twice my family fled the country because of the war, and consequently, I completed my secondary and junior high or high school in Pakistan before returning home to Afghanistan in 2002.

In September, 2002, I was hired by the United Nations Development Program (the UNDP) as a lead instructor to teach computer skills to Afghan women. These women were especially keen to learn these skills as they had been deprived of education and there was a large gap between them and the new technologies used in today’s modern world. By 2006, we graduated over 300 students. During this time, I took computer classes from Cisco Systems and became a Certified Cisco Network Associate (CCNA). Shortly thereafter, I took additional advanced computer classes and training and I became certified as a Cisco instructor in the CCNA academic certification program. As a consequence, in late 2004 I was awarded a scholarship to travel to the United States and to receive additional advanced specialised computer training at the Cisco head quarters in San José, California.

Upon returning to Afghanistan, with the encouragement of Cisco Systems of San Jose, California and the assistance of the United Nations Development Program, the UNDP, I taught CCNA certification programs to Afghan girls, through the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, (MoWA), Government of Afghanistan. It was during this time, I trained two of my students to become Cisco instructors as well and consequently run the program. My aim was to get them in a leadership position and have them act as role models for Afghan women.

Having accomplished this goal, in early 2006, I joined an Afghan-American firm called NCL as a Director of Procurement. During this time, I was the only women on the Board of Directors. After successfully establishing this department, I was promoted to establish the Budget and Cost Control Department.

During 2008, while remaining a full time employee of NCL, I started my bachelors program at the American University of Afghanistan as a full time night student pursuing a bachelor’s degree in business administration. While attending classes I was informed of the Peace Scholarship Program at the University of Australia. I applied for the scholarship and after a competitive placement, I was the only Afghan student awarded the Peace Scholarship Program and invited to attend Flinders University as an international exchange student representing the Peace Scholarship Program for my country of Afghanistan.

During this time, and to the present time, I have remained a full time employee of NCL. Each day after classes I go back to my room and remain in contact with my company through e-mail and Skype, administering my daily duties for NCL.

This has been one of the best and richest experiences of my life. It has given me the opportunity to not only come to Australia and study, but to share my knowledge and life experiences with others, to meet new people, explore new cultures, and build up my educational level globally. With the completion of my two semester peace scholarship program, I was awarded a follow-on scholarship from the Business School at Flinders University to complete my bachelor’s degree in accounting and finance. My graduation date will be Jun 2011.

While studying here in Australia at Flinders University, it is has always been my desire to become an outstanding role model for my fellow Afghan sisters back in Afghanistan. In order to achieve this goal and desire, my goal after graduation from Flinders University is to gain admission in one of the excellent universities in the United States, Europe or Australia and pursue a combined master’s degree in Business Administration, International Law and International relations. Then through my life’s experiences, my hard work and my advanced education, I will be able to leverage my accomplishments and provide my fellow Afghan sisters with the inspiration, enthusiasm and conviction to peruse and accomplish their personal goals.

While attending Flinders University, and in order to remain grounded in my aspirations to become a better role model for my Afghan sisters, I became a member of SAWA, the Support Association for the Women of Afghanistan here in Australia. I participated in a number of fund raising programs for SAWA as a guest speaker sharing my life experiences growing as an Afghan woman in Pakistan and Afghanistan, for the SAWA members and the fund raising participants. In addition, I participated in a ZONTA International club’s annual meeting as a guest speaker to share my experiences throughout my life. ZONTA International seeks to advance the status of women worldwide by improving the status of women at the global and local levels through service and advocacy.

And in conclusion, may a say a very warm word about my adopted home of Australia?

Upon my arrival in Adelaide, I was very warmly welcomed to Australia by my “Australian sister” Helen and her Mother. I have been invited many times into their home and continue to spend time with Helen and her Mother at their home and out and about in Adelaide, as their adopted Australian daughter.

In addition, the people of Adelaide and Flinders University have gone out of their way to welcome me and make me feel a part of their community.

I have always known Australia to be a country that has always welcomed people of very different cultures and made them feel warm and wanted on their road to becoming citizens. They have shown the world that the only way to begin to bring peace to the world is to bring cultures together and work together and understand together. I am here at Flinders University on a Peace Scholarship and it is no coincidence that I feel and my personal experience here has shown, that Australia leads the world in its understanding and acceptance of people of different cultures.