Help Abbas and his family escape the Taliban

700,000 Afghans have been displaced since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in 2021 many leaving family, friends, homes and careers behind them. Leaving with the real fear that it will never be safe to return.

This fundraising campaign aims to raise enough funds to sponsor Hazara refugee,  Abbas and his family through Canada’s private sponsorship program. Read Abbas's story below.
 
 
Abbas's story..... 

My name is Abbas. I am 38 years old, I am married and I have five children between 6 months and 12 years . I belong to the minority Hazara minority ethnic group and the Shiite Muslim religion. 

For many years I have been a prominent advocate for preservation of the Hazarajat heritage and I am known nationally and internationally for my work in the protection and restoration of these sites. Until the recent fall of the Afghan government to the Taliban I was employed in a high-profile role as the Head of the Bamiyan museum, responsible for the care and restoration of the Bamiyan Buddhas and caves that the Taliban destroyed in 2001. I represented my country in many places outside of Afghanistan such as Turkey, Nepal Indonesia, and China to promote cultural heritage and speak about the Buddha restoration. I used these opportunities to raise awareness about the Taliban destruction of these sites and the threat of extremist jihadism in the region and Afghanistan. 

This has made me a target for the Taliban and other Islamic extremists because for them I represent someone who has been a leader in advocating for the preservation of Hazara cultural heritage and the restoration of historic sites such as the Buddhas which they see as ‘idols’ and anti-Islamic.

Prior to the Taliban taking over Afghanistan my life was threatened by Taliban members and I was physically attacked because of what they perceived to be my role in preserving ‘idols’ and promoting ‘idol worship’. Following the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 fearing for my personal safety and that of my family I fled Afghanistan to a neighbouring country where I am now residing in the hope of being resettled to a safe country. As a prominent Hazara figure who has played a public role in denouncing the Taliban and advocating for the preservation of Hazarajat’s cultural heritage I fear I would be at extreme risk of harm if I return to Afghanistan. 


Refuge in Canada.....

Abbas has a number of family members and friends in Canada and Australia who have been working to help him and his family to find refuge in a safe country.  Canada has a private refugee sponsorship program which enables Canadian citizens to sponsor refugee families - we feel this is Abbas's best chance to secure his family's safety. 

To be able to sponsor a family community sponsors need to raise funds to cover the settlement costs for the first year. Funds raised through this campaign will be put in a trust account which can be accessed once the family is in Canada. Funds may also be used to support costs associated with travel and transit.