NEW DOORS OPENING FOR GIRLS: FROM EDUCATION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Every girl has a dream in her heart, a goal, and a vision of her future. However, desire alone is not enough to turn a dream into reality. It requires knowledge, opportunities, support, and, most importantly, self-confidence.

Today, the world is developing at a rapid pace. Technology has become an integral part of our lives, creating new professions and areas of activity. This process is also opening new doors of opportunity for girls. Today, girls are no longer limited to traditional professions; they can make their mark in IT, engineering, design, science, business, media, and many other fields.

For this reason, providing girls with access to education, helping them acquire modern skills, and encouraging their interest in entrepreneurship are among the important issues of our time.

Education is one of the greatest and most important doors opening for women and girls. Knowledge teaches people to think independently, make informed decisions, and build their own futures. Today, young girls have many opportunities to expand their knowledge through educational programs, grants, scholarships, online courses, and international projects.

The importance of education lies not only in professional knowledge but also in the way it transforms a person’s worldview. An educated girl understands her rights and opportunities, strives for innovation, and seeks to play an active role in society.

Modern technologies are expanding these opportunities even further. Today, programming, graphic design, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, media, and other digital fields are creating new career opportunities for young people. In these areas, success depends greatly on a person’s abilities, hard work, and willingness to learn.

For example, in the past, promoting a product or service often required significant financial resources and an office. Today, through the internet and social media, even a small project can be introduced to a wide audience. This creates valuable opportunities for young people to test and develop their ideas.

Entrepreneurship is another important area that is opening new doors for girls. For example, a girl may create handmade products and start selling them online. Another may offer services in design, translation, or programming. Although such activities may begin on a small scale, they can gradually develop into larger projects.

Today, there are many examples of girls taking advantage of these opportunities. Young female entrepreneurs are creating their own brands, providing online services, developing new products, and inspiring other young people to follow their example. This demonstrates that girls are capable of transforming not only their own lives but also the environment around them.

However, along with opportunities, certain challenges still exist. Some girls may give up on their dreams because of self-doubt, lack of experience, or outdated beliefs such as “girls cannot do this.” In my opinion, changing such attitudes is very important.

A person’s abilities are determined not by gender, but by knowledge, hard work, determination, and perseverance.

For me, giving girls opportunities is not simply about helping them; it is about building a strong foundation for the future. A girl who receives an education today can become a knowledgeable professional tomorrow, while a young female entrepreneur can create new jobs and contribute to the development of society. Most importantly, she can later play a role in educating and inspiring the next generation.

A confident girl can also inspire other girls. Therefore, giving every girl the opportunity to receive an education, develop her talents, learn modern skills, and turn her ideas into reality is one of the most important investments we can make in the future of society.

After all, education opens new doors, while entrepreneurship gives girls the courage and opportunity to walk through those doors and build their own future.

About the Author

Farangiz Rakhmonova, 16, is a 10th-grade student at Specialized School No. 2 in Qo‘shrabot District, Samarkand Region. As an avid reader, she is always eager to gain new knowledge and learn new things. She is an active and inquisitive student who has earned several national and international certificates.

The European Renaissance and Science: From Dark Ages to Brilliant Peaks

(Student of Bukhara International University)

There are moments in life that do not just remain in memory; they transform into turning points that radically change a person’s way of thinking, worldview, and future goals. When we turn the pages
of human history, we clearly see these great turning points that changed the fate of an entire civilization. The European Renaissance, spanning the 14th to the 17th centuries, is one of those
unforgettable and eternal eras.

After the rigid dogmas and stagnation of the Middle Ages, European culture and science took a new breath, as if awakening from a deep sleep. This period did not only restore ancient heritage to humanity; it also opened entirely new horizons in science and art. Every step taken from the shadow of the dark ages toward freedom ensured the victory of humanism—the ideals of love for humanity and human-centered thinking—in society.

At the foundation of this great rise lies the painstaking work of true geniuses who explored the limitless possibilities of their era. Every major discovery sets new standards in society and increases
a person’s belief in themselves.

Key Figures of the Renaissance:
Leonardo da Vinci: Universal genius and thinker—His works “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper” became the pinnacle of harmony between human psychology and anatomy. The artist, who brought
depictions to life with the sfumato technique, also drew the first prototypes of modern technologies on the path of science.

Michelangelo Buonarroti: The master who gave life to stone—His marble sculpture “David” became the eternal symbol of human physical beauty and spiritual strength. The massive frescoes
he painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican are unique masterpieces of world descriptive art.

Galileo Galilei: The astronomer who fought for the truth—By revealing the secrets of the universe with the help of a telescope and proving Copernicus’s views, Galileo defended scientific truth
despite the pressure of the church. His courage showed that science always requires sacrifice and determination.

Such recognition and achievements were not just temporary awards, but a great responsibility placed on shoulders for the future. Representatives of the Renaissance period left a great spiritual
legacy for generations after them, proving that one must never stop on the path of science. True success is never accidental; it is the fruit of continuous searching, discipline, and ceaseless work.

Opportunities often knock on the door at unexpected moments, but preparation for them must be continuous and solid. The life and scientific legacy of Renaissance geniuses still serve as a source
of inspiration for the young generation today and allow every individual to fully realize their potential.

?

Wednesday, early morning

It is the 22nd of July 2026

Waves of Charles Bukowski’s making

Our father 

is finishing radiation therapy 

on Monday

My back hurts

It is the middle of winter

At night, he looks at pornography on my computer

The computer that people out of the kindness of their hearts

fundraised for me

I am greeted, good morning, in the darkness

By curvy women

And busty babes

An online casino, rainbow lights flickering

Is this what his despair feels like?

Every night, he  

surfs the web

Looking for

Curvy women

Busty babes

There’s nothing I can do about this

There’s nothing I can do about online casinos

That I find on my computer

The cigarette ash

The packets of marijuana

The crystal meth

His pipes

Dear God, please tell me what I am supposed to do?

When he makes a fist

When he screams, Dyke!

Yes, this is what I wake up to

Please, make it stop

I just want it to stop

And I don’t 

want to read 

this memoir 

that he is writing

I have 

a terrible cough 

and headaches now

because 

he smokes 

all the time 

in the house

He has a vape

He smokes that

He smokes cigarettes

He smokes marijuana

I don’t know 

if he is still using tik

He used to hide 

that in his drawer

Where his son 

played computer games

Is this 

what suffering is,

Or is it terror?

Is it the stuff 

that nightmares 

are made from?

This is what my despair feels like

My sadness

my yearning for days gone by

The longing for the brother 

I used to know gone up 

in webs of smoke

The zol a cobweb in his hand

What am I praying for? 

Your soul?

Yes, maybe, 

I am praying 

for your soul

Maybe that is 

what a sister 

is supposed to do 

for her brother

I just don’t know 

how much more 

of this I can take

I am living 

on the edge 

every day

My mental health 

Is in a precarious 

state of balance

I am scared 

I will be hospitalized again

My sister says 

that she thinks 

I am sick 

and I need 

to see a doctor

They pay no attention 

to my brother

who is the cause 

of my distress

I am the problem

I knit

I knit 

I am knitting 

a scarf 

for my niece

I don’t know 

how long I will be sane, 

this time

I ask my father,

How can my own brother do this to me?

How? 

Why, why, why?

My father turns his head, and says,

There’s nothing I can do for you now

I have cancer

Look after yourself, my child

There is nothing 

I can do 

for you, my brother

But I will 

pray for you

For an about turn 

in your life

How I can remember

All the tides that came before

The shift and change in my mood

Like yesterday, like yesterday

As I feel it comes upon me now

How sacred 

your boyhood was, once. 

Once. Once

I think of all the harm 

that you have done to me,

I think to myself that you 

would never have done 

that to the women

You worked with when you 

were a credit risk analyst at that bank

The white women, the pale Amazons

But you did it to me,

To your sister

What kind of a man are you,

Or are you just a drug-fueled monster

At the point of no return?

I have forgiven you

What else can I do?

For me to live my own life

And care for your children

What else can I do?

I make you a cup of coffee in the morning

How did you sleep, I ask

We watch your daughter as she stands between us, watching us

I know now that it’s not your fault

It was never your fault to begin with 

Addiction doesn’t discriminate.

Picking salty scattered stardust

She walks through rain-washed streets, picking salty scattered stardust.

Her pockets brim with moons made of silk,

gathered at the thresholds of her survival instincts.

Her dreams, stitched with scars, glow in dim starlight.

Her tired shoes have kissed many dark alleys in life.

Yet, she is a petal drifting and emanating 

soft, unbroken, quiet light

She shakes like a hallow in electric glow.

Her gaze is thunder as she breathes fire everyday.

Her poetry are unsent words to the distant beloved 

who keeps staring at her half-formed desires 

When It’s Summer

Ladybugs fold August’s

red heat under wings

crawl to shade, to edge

of creek, calm cadence

carves silence, caresses

perfect rhythm of green

heartbeat, deep in soil.

Procession begins on birch

branch, ladybugs mingle in sun

glow on bruised trunk, on wild

leaves stormed, hearts lifted

by the loud fingertip, eclipses,

heavy shadow of human existence.

____________________________

Closure with Flying Birds

They’ve spoken to my father

and bring back news.

He’s well. 

Sun shines in the garden where I sit.

Birds fly to me, ask

for a message for my father. 

I offer a poem.

I inhale scent of his shirt in the wake

of their wings. The flying birds told

him his scent is now mine too. 

I follow the track of flying birds.

I scatter seeds.

___________________

Worshipper

Lips glistening like brown sugar crystals

cheekbones angled like red rhubarb

stalks in your garden, you sit,

godmother, in all of your beauty,

amber skin, silver hair braided

at your breasts.

Your glow, scented ginger fingernails,

lifting soil from fertile slumber,

physicality of you not minding sun

forever seated

buddha among yucca.

_________________________

After Sixteen Days of Drought

Green blade of grass craves dew.

Praying mantis prays

above parched roots, gardener curses

brittle stalks, rabbit circles wired fence.

Splitting purple vine crawls up

shed, faded red legumes collapse left.

Gray clouds pregnant with rain.

Drought suckles at trickle

of reservoir, as slight drizzle drifts

teases soil. Black pebbles sizzle.

Ancient ochre moss peels off bark. 

Shrinking nightshades lose the night.

Children dressed in white, feet

stomp dust in rain dance,

voices shout rain song.

Mother hums harvest lullaby.

Clouds burst silver rain, soaking pods,

mud pies in dishes on playground.

Rabbit sneaks through hole

in garden fence. Girl’s pink

tongue gathers splashes

from rain, plum-colored lips

moistened. Soon impatient boy

will pluck budding edible blossoms

to the crowing laughter of emerald

feathered roosters.  Pebbles vanish

below flowing river. Gardener smiles

at orange abundance, mother tosses

cherry red tomatoes in her mouth.

Infant latches for her milk.

Green blade of grass grateful.

Praying mantis legs bless roots.

_________________________

Takin’ It Easy by Jerrice J Baptiste

This morning, I sit

legs folded like the Jade Buddha.

My cup of chai tea rests on the table

at my reach. I put pen to blank page.

Inhale scent of chai slowly,

making its way into nostrils.

Transported to a friend’s kitchen

with many objects in red on her shrine.

Taste of spices on tongue,

cinnamon & clove return with joy.

I sip until end of morning light

dancing on walls. Then, I approach you!

Jerrice J Baptiste is an artist, poet, educator and author of nine books, Her watercolor drawings on paper have been accepted or forthcoming in MER, Synchronized Chaos, Saugerties Shout Out, Las Laguna Art Gallery exhibit in California, Spirit Fire Review, Jerry Jazz Musician Magazine. Jerrice has presented her art work at The Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, NY, in June 2025. She’s been featured as a solo artist at the Cairo Public Library in Cairo NY, in an art exhibit at The Mountaintop Library in Tannersville NY in August-September 2025, and also a solo Exotic Birds Collection on January-February 2026 at Mountain Top Library, She participated in an art show called Shout Out Saugerties, NY.  Her most recent poetry book Coral in The Diaspora is published by Abode Press (August 2024). She is well published in Artemis Journal, The Yale Review, Mantis and hundreds of others. Jerrice’s collaborative songwriting and poems are featured on the Grammy nominated album: Many Hands Family Music for Haiti. She teaches Authentic Poetry workshops in The Catskills, NY.

We Ourselves Are to Blame

INTRODUCTION

I would like to start my speech with a question. Why are there more poor people than rich people? Why are there more unsuccessful people than successful ones? Why are there more unhappy people than happy ones? Have you ever thought about it? Why do children who struggle immensely and go hungry for days often become the
most generous and crisis-resistant rich people in the future, while the children of wealthy parents who have every condition and every wish granted either fail to become rich, or if they do, become miserly, greedy, and see their wealth go bankrupt in a very short time?

MAIN BODY
Imagine a newborn baby; the heart and mind of a newborn baby are like a blank sheet of paper. How to decorate it depends on the baby’s parents. There is at least one small child in each of your homes. Have you ever watched them? Even if there is a big problem or many shortcomings at home, that little child continues to play happily. They are only interested in being happy, playing, and laughing, right? But we adults, whenever we have a problem, we keep brooding over it, yet we never think about why that problem was given to us or what good things lie behind it. Let’s greet those problems with a smile, just like children do.

Have you ever tested what children do when their toys get lost? Why am I saying this? Toys are a part of children’s lives, just like the problems that trouble us. But when their toy is lost, they search for it, cry, and if they still cannot find it, they move on and make themselves happy by playing with other things. We adults cannot do that.

Actually, the fault does not lie with us, but with our parents who taught us to live this way—though I do not mean to blame them with this. As I said at the beginning of my speech, I mean that we should not teach such a lifestyle to newborns. When a problem comes to our children, we must teach them to face it with a smile, and when defeat comes, to view it not as a defeat, but as a tool that makes us even stronger.

Instead of whispering “you cannot do it” into their minds, we should actually instill the words “you are capable of anything.” We must not kill the innocence of their childhood, but let them grow and thrive. When problems arise, we must teach them not to feel distressed, but how to emerge stronger from that problem. The appearance of
a problem in your life does not mean plunging into sorrow and grief.

We must teach them to accept it as meaning “you are strong, do not stop striving.” It is not all about the problem itself, but how we accept it and how we act. I read in a book recently about its main character, an elderly person who taught at a large university. He contracted an illness that made it difficult for him to walk, causing him to fall down while walking. Yet, even if it meant relying on a cane, he would go for walks, and on his way out, he attended swimming every day. Even when the illness worsened to the point where he could no longer take off his clothes and needed a servant to help, he would still go swimming, and alongside these hardships, he never stopped teaching at the university. Perhaps you think he was forced to do so—no, he was not forced, but he did it because he refused to stay inactive in one place and live in sorrow, feeling depressed just because he was sick.

CONCLUSION
The main purpose and core message of my words is that our unending problems, our inability to become rich despite trying, our illnesses—in short, all kinds of problems—are perceived as if they will never pass or go away.

How our lives turn out depends on ourselves and how we accept our lives. In reality, we ourselves are to blame for all our problems