Neki Haidari

I am Neki Haidari. I was born in 1999 in a small rural village in Afghanistan. Six months after I was born, my family immigrated to Iran. Immigrant life in Iran was hard for us, so we eventually came back to Afghanistan and started our life in Kabul. In 2007, I started school in Kabul and moved between different schools. In 2018, I graduated from Asif Mayel High School.

I have had an interest in painting since I was a small child. Since our family was poor, they didn't have means to allow me to paint. As I grew older, my interest in painting just grew. When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I began to draw using money my mother had given me for learning English. My mother was supporting me to take English classes, because from her view, with an English education and computer skills, I could get a job. I had other ideas though, and started drawing with that money. My family always told me “you choose your way wrong.”

 I remember the day when I sold my first painting. I wanted to fly; I was so happy. I went home and talked with my Mom and explained it. My mother flushed with tears in her eyes and said ”I am proud of my daughter.” With the money from that painting, I bought myself a bike so I could go to school from home and come back.  Then, I spent my transportation money on painting (buying paper, paints, colored pencils, and charcoal).

In Afghanistan, it isn’t normal for girls to ride a bike, but I did it anyway, and my mom was always supporting me. For example, one day my older brother said to me “You are a girl, you can’t ride a bike.” My mom was angry and said, “She is my daughter. She can do it. “ 

As I began to sell more of my paintings, I was able to start helping my family. For many years when I was younger, my mom worked at the hospital, cleaning the entire hospital every day. It became hard on her body, and she had to quit. Through my painting, I could help and make my Mom happy and my people proud.

I create a variety of different paintings. I like to paint nature scenes with oil color, and draw human faces in black and white and colored pencil both. I also enjoy working with charcoal. Creating art helps me deal with stress and brings me joy.

Hear more from this artist in her Musings.