The most famous Afghan Girl

At just 12 years old, Sharbat Gula was living in a refugee camp in Pakistan, attending school in a tent. It was there that photographer Steve McCurry captured the striking portrait of her with piercing green eyes—a photo that would become one of the most famous magazine covers in history when it appeared on National Geographic a year later.

At the time, McCurry didn't know her name or story, but the haunting image of the "Afghan Girl" remained etched in global memory. Years later, determined to find her, he joined forces with a National Geographic team and, after a long search, was finally reunited with Sharbat in 2002. The girl from the photo had grown into a young woman, married with three daughters.

Her name, Sharbat, meaning "freshwater flower," reflected a quiet strength. When shown her image for the first time, she recalled the moment—it was the only time in her life she had been photographed. She agreed to pose again, and McCurry thanked her with a gift: a sewing machine, enabling her eldest daughter to work and providing the means for Sharbat to realize a lifelong dream—making the pilgrimage to Mecca.

In 2015, Sharbat faced new hardship. She was arrested for possessing forged identity papers. McCurry publicly supported her, and with the Afghan government's help, she returned to Afghanistan and was given a home. But her safety was again threatened in 2021, after the Taliban regained control. Through a humanitarian program for Afghan refugees, she eventually resettled in Italy, beginning yet another chapter of her life.

Her powerful story moved people around the world and inspired the creation of the Afghan Children's Fund, a charitable organization focused on ensuring Afghan children have access to proper education and support.

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