John,
My name is Nargis. I last wrote to you in early August to tell you about the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program that saved my life and introduced me to the IRC.
A lot has changed in my home country since then. There is immense uncertainty right now caused by the recent transfer of power from the former Afghan government. More than 634,800 Afghans have fled their homes this year, and more than 18 million people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance to survive this crisis.
I can't stop thinking about my fellow Afghans and when this crisis began, I knew I had to do something to help. So for the past few weeks, I joined IRC staff and volunteers to welcome Afghan refugees at a government facility in Texas. I want to share some reflections about my experience with you, a supporter of our work for families in crisis.
At the facility I served as medical support and community liaison. I answered questions from Afghan arrivals, helped people with their paperwork, translated documents, and more.
Many of the people I helped were children. Others were single parents, or even extended families. I could see the fear and depression on their faces. They were traumatized and exhausted from their travels, worried sick about friends and family members back home, and unsure what the future holds.
But despite that, everyone I spoke with felt grateful to be safe here in the U.S. Many of them fled with almost nothing, but they still have hope.
Many people shared stories with me about their lives and family members in Afghanistan. They told me they want to work hard and send money home or, if they can, bring their families here. And I will never forget the young girls who told me they dream of going to school — a dream they almost lost for good.
Through all of it, I felt so incredibly proud to work for the IRC. It was inspiring to see so many IRC staff and volunteers who were willing to leave their families for a few weeks to help refugees. And it was clear that the IRC is a trusted organization — people felt relieved knowing that a capable and compassionate organization would be able to help them.
I remember feeling much the same way when my son and I first arrived in the U.S. I missed home so badly it felt like I was missing a part of myself. Most of all, I remember feeling overwhelmed by all the systems I would have to navigate to rent a house, get a driver’s license, and apply for social services.
I still smile when I think about being greeted by our IRC caseworker and finding our new apartment filled with all the necessities of home. The IRC helped me get a subway card, open a bank account, find a job, and even enroll my son in kindergarten. That support made all the difference for us, like it is now making for the refugees I worked with in Texas.
When I first got home, I dreamed every night of being back in Texas. I couldn't stop thinking about the people I had met and the stories they had told me. I thought about the peace and freedom I dreamt of for my son, and I wished for peace and freedom for all the sons and daughters in Afghanistan.
I am still feeling sad for my country and my people, but I am hopeful that Afghanistan will be free again.
Thank you for your continued support and compassion for Afghanistan and the IRC — it means everything to me.
With gratitude and hope,
Nargis, IRC
P.S. The IRC is leading the way to help Afghan refugees resettle here in the U.S. and rebuild their lives. I saw firsthand how even a few dollars can make a big difference for a newly arrived refugee family. Please, rush an urgent donation to our Resettlement, Asylum, and Integration program right now to help Afghan refugees survive and thrive as they rebuild their lives.
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