Since its shooting, the subject of one of history’s most famous photographs has endured a heartbreakingly tough life.

Several great pictures have gone down in history, ranging from those taken in combat zones to those depicting the impact of climate change.

Steve McCurry, a combat photographer, took the shot named ‘Afghan Girl’ in 1984.

McCurry shot the photograph at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Pakistan at the time the Soviet Union occupied Afghanistan.

You’ll probably remember the image, which depicts a little girl gazing directly at the camera with piercing green eyes.

However, while the iconic photograph, which appeared on the cover of National Geographic in 1985, is well known throughout the world, most people are unaware of the little girl’s tale and what occurred afterward.

Sharbat Gula, the girl in the photos, was twelve years old at the time.

Her mother died of appendicitis when she was eight years old, and she migrated to Pakistan, as did many other Afghans.

Sharbat wasn’t recognized until 2002, when she was in her forties.

‘Her head was held high.’

“The photograph from 1984 captured her dignity, innocence, heart, fortitude, and tenacity. McCurry told Al Jazeera in 2016 that she humanized the genuine plight of war refugees throughout the world with no words said, only her face.

“I believe there was some defiance in her expression. Her face embodied the collective refugee sentiment and suffering.

“I believe all Afghans share the notion that they are living a harsh existence, but we will push through and persist. Her expression was disturbed, but her head remained high.”

When McCurry saw Sharbat again, she was living in Pakistan with her family and had married at the age of 13, not long after the photograph was shot.

Sadly, Sharbat had lost one of her daughters soon after delivery.

“When we reunited with her in 2002, she was a mother, persistently striving to provide for her family,” he informed me.

“We noticed a progression of difficulties reflected on her face.

“She seemed tough due to the weather, nervousness, lack of good hygiene, and bad nourishment. Despite all the challenges she has faced, she continues to persevere.

Arrested in Pakistan.

Fast forward to 2016, when Sharbat encountered further difficulties after being jailed for reportedly residing in Pakistan on fraudulent papers, which she disputed.

Since reuniting with McCurry, she has lost her husband, Rahmat Gul, and a second daughter to hepatitis C.

Her daughter, 22, had left behind a two-month-old infant girl.

Sharbat spent 15 days in prison and received hospital treatment for hepatitis C.

“This was the hardest and worst incident of my life,” she said.

Pakistan later invited her to stay in the nation, but she rejected it.

“I told them I was heading to my home country. I responded, “You allowed me to stay here for 35 years, but you ended up treating me like this.” “It is enough,” she told the BBC.

“I’d only go back to pray at my husband and daughter’s graves, which are in front of our old house.”

Then-President Ashraf Ghani gave her the keys to an apartment after transporting her to Kabul.

Heather Barr, a Human Rights Watch (HRW) researcher, stated at the time, “This woman is a symbol for Afghans as well as Pakistan.

“The way Pakistan paraded her in front of the media felt like a disgrace to the Afghan government: here is this woman who had to quit your nation for ours.

“The Afghan government replied by openly inviting her back. The message was, “We can care for our people.”

Leaving Afghanistan a second time

However, Sharbat’s quest for safety was not done; in 2021, following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, Italy gave her and her children refuge.

Italy was one of the nations that assisted hundreds of Afghans in fleeing following the withdrawal of US soldiers.

In a 2022 interview with La Repubblica, she discussed her views regarding the photo and how she is now able to educate her children.

“That snapshot caused many issues for me… I wish it had never happened. I recall the photographer’s arrival at the Nasir Bagh camp school. I was a youngster. I did not like photographs. In Afghan culture, women do not appear in photographs. “But there wasn’t much choice,” she explained.

“At first, I was apprehensive about the exposure around my photo, but when I realized that I had been the source of support/assistance for many people/refugees, I got overjoyed.

“When we returned to Kabul, the government provided us with housing and support, but my husband’s family refused to let my daughter attend school, despite her desire.

“I couldn’t do anything to modify that decision. But today, I can. We have the freedom to make our own decisions here. My daughter aspires to become a doctor, and I pledged to do everything within my power to fulfill her dream.”

People who heard Sharbat’s tale for the first time were surprised to realize that she had such a terrible existence, although her face is well-known all over the world.

One user said, “It demonstrates how a harsh life ages a person.” She’s only 53 now.”

Another person stated, “I used to keep her photo as a child on my schoolbook since it impacted my spirit in some way. I’m devastated to hear she had to go through so much. I hope she is now in a secure and pleasant place with her family. I wish her the best.

A third wrote, “I feel terrible for what she went through, but I also appreciate her courage and resolve in conditions that many Western women, particularly now, would be unable to handle. She deserves appreciation, not pity.”