Mariam Raqib came to the United States in the 1980s, a refugee from the fighting in her home country of Afghanistan.

A Wells College graduate with a degree in international studies and a masters and doctorate from Northeastern University, Raqib returned to Afghanistan in 2004, while a graduate student, to visit family and experience what the country was like.

“It just seemed like the perfect opportunity,” she said. “It was the best schooling I could have received.”

Seeing the environmental devastation caused by war, and with an interest in development work, she founded Afghanistan Samsortya – from the Pashtu word for “revitalization” or “rejuvenation” – with the intent of working with agricultural communities to plant trees and establish tree nurseries in rural areas.

“I’ve always loved nature,” she said. “I’ve always loved trees. We had pretty much a lost population of trees in the country”

On Monday, Feb. 5. Raqib, who serves as Afghanistan Samsortya executive director from her home in Winchester, Mass., and goes to Afghanistan for one or two months each year, will speak at RiverMead at 10 a.m. in the auditorium on the main campus. The presentation will not be open to the public.

The appearance will not be her first time in Peterborough, as she worked in an organic garden in town last summer.

“It makes my work worthwhile even more,” she said. “I love Peterborough. It’s a gorgeous area, with wonderful people, as well. It is a mission we share, to green the planet.”

From its roots 20 years ago with a tree nursery on land Raqib’s father donated, Afghanistan Samsortya has grown to three tree nurseries that distribute tens of thousands of saplings to communities each spring, community gardens and dug nearly a dozen wells to provide clean water.

Raqib said the people Afghanistan Samsortya work with to revive trees and fruit trees that existed in a region are worldly and sophisticated, but there are also areas where 80% of them are illiterate. Similarly, they dig wells powered by solar panels in areas that cannot be reached by car.

“It’s a lot of time and effort, but mostly lots of love and compassion,” she said. “This is hope for me and for the people.”

And despite the presence of the Taliban Islamic fundamentalist group ruling the country, Raqib said they have not had any problems because they work completely outside of politics.

“This is the environment. It’s clean water for children. It’s a tree. It’s shade. It’s fruit. It’s a garden for goodness’ sake,” she said.

Along with its environmental work, for the past six years, Afghanistan Samsortya has led a scholarship program for people to study nursing, midwifery and pharmacy sciences in Jalalabad and Kabul. As of 2024, the program will have graduated 60 students, of which Raqib said 80% to 90% are women.

“For a young person, that’s deeply empowering,” she said. “It’s life-changing. It’s transforming, and in a way that saves lives.”