Stories
Refugees and other newcomers to Minnesota are more than statistics. We want to highlight their stories and how we can help them further.
A STRUGGLE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY: ONE REFUGEE FAMILY’S TALE
.They’d helped the US in its’ campaign against the Taliban in Afghanistan … now it was the United States’ turn to provide the promised help in return. They’d sold their belongings, said goodbye to family and friends, then fled to Qatar by way of the United Arab Republic. They were vetted and re-vetted to ensure they met the requirements for receiving Special Immigration Visas (SIV); visas granted to Afghan citizens who’d helped the US during the war and whose lives would be in danger if they stayed. In Qatar they would receive these SIVs and their airline ticket to the US and a new life—as promised.
Upon reaching Qatar they waited, and waited, until finally given the devastating news: Plans had changed. Due to recent changes in US policy, there were no longer resources available to bring them to the US. Even if they were to get to the US, there would be no resources to help them resettle there.
Undeterred and under threat of their SIVs expiring, the family of 5 raised sufficient funds through family and friends to purchase their own airline tickets. Upon arrival—lacking resettlement funding and services—they moved in with a relative. Homeless and down-trodden; this was not the American dream. And then the met Ahmad Shah; founder of the Afghan Community of Minnesota and board member of Refugee Housing Minnesota (RHMN).
“We’ve been through a tough time. Right now day by day we've been adjusting.”
“Without a place to live, people don’t have a home base from which they can operate; find a job, enroll their kids in school, feel a sense of community,” explains Shah.
RHMN worked with the family to find housing, assisted them in signing a lease, and helped them pay security deposit and rent. “We’ve been through a tough time,” explained the father. “But everyday we’re adjusting. We want to support ourselves. We want to get drivers’ licenses. We want to find work; just a regular job. We want our kids to study.” They want the American Dream.
And now, with a place to call home, they’re well on the way.
“People used to get a lot of benefits but right now everything is closed. So far we received support from the agency and we hope for the future that we get more support to… adjust and then to support ourselves.”
Newsletter #1
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