Afghan Technologist Sara Wahedi: How her App Saved Lives and Reflections on Women's Rights since the Taliban Takeover

This week, A'ndre chatted with Sara Wahedi, an award-winning Afghan technologist and humanitarian who created Ehtesab, a crisis notification app that has provided Kabul residents in Afghanistan with real-time emergency alerts. A'ndre and Sara chatted on the three year anniversary of the Taliban's takeover of the country, with Sara sharing her reflections on the plight of women since 2021. Sara shares the story of how she developed Ehtesab after surviving a suicide bombing in Kabul, and discusses some of the difficulties in navigating a range of socio-economic and political circumstances during the app's creation and operation. Reflecting on her Afghan identity, Sara discusses the resilience she's seen among the women of Afghanistan, and how so many were hopeful before 2021. A'ndre and Sara talk about the international community's engagement with Afghanistan and some of Sara's reactions to ongoing negotiations with the Taliban.

You can follow Sara and her incredible work on Twitter: @SaraWahedi