While some Afghan refugees are trying to rebuild their lives in Tajikistan, away from the dangers they faced across the border, others dream of leaving to start new lives in richer countries. Tajikistan has taken in Afghan refugees since the mid-1990s but bans them from living in any of the major cities. Former English teacher Bibikhawa Zaki, 25, who fled Afghanistan with her family a few months before the Taliban returned to power in summer 2021, says she wants to leave Tajikistan for Canada but does "not know whether a decision will be made". IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES