Maryan of Somalia -- The Girl Who Sends the Question Anyway
Maryan of Somalia -- The Girl Who Sends the Question Anyway
Maryan of Somalia -- The Girl Who Sends the Question Anyway
Age: 14 Region: African Continent
Maryan has typed the message six times.
Then deleted it six times.
Her cousin watches from across the room.
"Just send it."
"I'm going to."
"You said that ten minutes ago."
Maryan ignores her.
On the screen is a scientist Maryan follows online—a woman who studies drought, rainfall and water systems.
Last week she posted a video explaining how researchers use satellite information to understand changes happening on the ground.
Maryan has a question.
A very good question.
Possibly.
Maybe.
Unless it's a stupid question.
"What if she thinks I should already know this?"
Her cousin shrugs.
"Then she won't answer."
This is not helpful.
Maryan looks at the message again.
She has always loved finding people online who know things she doesn't.
Scientists.
Engineers.
Writers.
Women doing jobs Maryan didn't even know existed until somebody put a phone in her hand and the world suddenly became much larger.
Sometimes she saves videos to watch again.
Sometimes she looks up words she doesn't understand.
Sometimes one question leads to another and then another until she has seventeen browser tabs open and has forgotten what she originally wanted to know.
Her mother calls this getting distracted.
Maryan calls it research.
The message is still waiting.
Her cousin leans over.
"You know what your problem is?"
"No."
"You think everybody else was born knowing things."
Maryan looks at her.
That is annoyingly sensible.
She reads the question once more.
Then presses send.
Nothing happens.
Of course nothing happens.
She puts down the phone.
Three hours later, it buzzes.
Maryan stares at the screen.
The scientist answered.
Not only answered.
She sent Maryan a link to something else she thought she might like.
Maryan reads the message twice.
Then three times.
Her cousin looks over.
"Well?"
Maryan is already typing another question.
Someday she wants to work with technology and environmental science to help communities understand and manage something every person needs: water.
She doesn't know exactly what that job will be called yet.
That's okay.
She knows how to find out.
First, ask.
Then press send.
Her Dream: To use science and technology to help communities protect and manage their water.
Her Wonder: “How many things would we learn if we stopped worrying that our questions weren't smart enough to ask?”
*****
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