Comic Project
The Adventures of Detective Sanazu and the time travelling Vest
SA = San Diego (USA) NA= Nangarhar (AFG) ZU= Zürich (CH)
© Sanazu is an original storytelling project developed and owned by the leader of Afghan Women Support.
Welcome to the exciting world of The Adventures of Detective Sanazu, a unique comic series that intertwines history, culture, and the power of storytelling.
Sanazu – A Global Comic Project
Sanazu is an original character created by Selai Balkhi, founder of Afghan Women Support.
She is at the heart of a global storytelling project connecting voices, histories, and creative perspectives from Afghanistan, Europe, and the United States.
A Story Beyond Borders
Sanazu is a young Afghan-American girl who embarks on a journey through time. Along the way, she encounters powerful women from history and uncovers stories that have too often remained hidden or forgotten.
Through her adventures, Sanazu connects cultures, generations, and perspectives — inviting young readers to rethink history, identity, courage, and what it means to be a hero.
More Than a Comic
Sanazu is more than a fictional character. The project itself is a story of creativity, resilience, and connection across borders.
The comic is illustrated by a young Afghan woman who was excluded from school five years ago after girls were barred from continuing their education in Afghanistan. Today, her artistic talent is helping bring Sanazu’s world to life.
Her illustrations transform a story about opportunity and imagination into something tangible: a project in which an Afghan woman is not simply represented, but is actively shaping the story herself.
The wider project brings together students and young creatives from Afghanistan, Switzerland, and the United States to explore storytelling, history, cultural identity, and empowerment through a collaborative creative process.
Sanazu tells stories that cross borders — and the people creating her story do, too.
Comic-Con San Diego 2024, 2025 and 2026:
San Diego Comic-Con | 2024 · 2025 · 2026
Afghan Women Support has participated in San Diego Comic-Con across three consecutive years, bringing conversations about Afghanistan, education, creativity, and the power of storytelling to an international audience.
In 2024, founder Selai Balkhi joined a panel alongside Flowers for the Future, highlighting how young people across borders can use education, technology, art, and storytelling to create opportunities for Afghan girls and young women.
What began as a conversation about education and creative expression has since evolved into something new: Sanazu.
In 2026, Selai returned to San Diego Comic-Con with the emerging Sanazu project — a global comic initiative connecting Afghanistan, Switzerland, and the United States and creating space for Afghan voices not only to be heard, but to actively shape the stories being told.
For us, Comic-Con is more than a celebration of comics. It is a space where storytelling can become a bridge between cultures — and where new heroes and new narratives can emerge.
Concept Overview:
Our protagonist, Detective Sanazu, is a curious young girl with a passion for uncovering the hidden stories of strong women in Central Asian history. With her ability to travel through time, Sanazu embarks on thrilling adventures, visiting various timelines to learn about influential figures who shaped the region's past.
