International Women's Day took on special meaning for several Afghan students who are part of an online education program.
Maryam, 19, is one of 16 students who will be receiving a Certificate in Business Management this week from SAIT Polytechnic.
Girls and women in Afghanistan still struggle to get a basic education because hundreds of schools have been burned or shut down and those that are still operating are poorly funded.
Maryam says she also encountered challenges while completing the SAIT program, but her perseverance paid off.
"It's really not easy to get an education for Afghan women, especially in university, but we still didn't give up and we come here to do our best and get an education," said Maryam.
The courses are offered online through the Afghan-Canadian Community Centre which is supported by The Afghan School Project.
Since it was launched in 2007, more than 40 students have enrolled in the program.
For more information, visit The Afghan School Project's website.
