Help for Afghani refugees Amina and Noor

Hello Friends,

My name is Nadia Alam. I created a fundraiser for two Afghan refugee women who are being helped by my family (uncle and parents) as they try to settle in the United States after a truly horrifying experience of escaping Afghanistan. The two women are Amina (in her 40s) and Noor (19 years old). I have changed their names here to protect their identities because their family members are targets of the Taliban back in Afghanistan. I was going to post a video and pictures of them for this campaign, but my family is too worried that any exposure like that could put their family members back in Afghanistan at greater risk. Amina and Noor are in Massachusetts and the Catholic Church has generously provided them with an apartment for three months. After that, they must find a way to pay their rent and support themselves.

The Story:

Both Amina and Noor's families are targets of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Amina and Noor expected to escape the Taliban and board an airplane with their families to go to the United States. Amina's husband was shot dead by the Taliban and Amina is now left to care for her six children on her own, and she is not even in the same country as them. Noor's brother assisted the US government in past years and, as a result, her family is now being targeted and is in hiding in Afghanistan.

Amina was with her children boarding the plane amidst the chaos of hoards of people trying to get on the plane to the U.S. As she got on the plane, the doors started closing. She tried to pull her children on, but the doors closed on them. She sobbed uncontrollably recounting the story to my parents. None of her kids made it on the plane. She can't go back or she will almost certainly be killed by the Taliban. One of her daughters has kidney cancer and there are no doctors or medicines available to her. Amina is in a deep state of grief. She speaks little English and is eagerly looking for work. She wants to find employment and get the rest of her family here.

Noor is just 19 years old and a gifted student. She is a Hazara (minority ethnic group in Afghanistan) and a Shia, which makes her family a target of the Taliban. She speaks some English and wants to enroll in college and study software engineering. She is exceptionally bright. When she was at the airport in Afghanistan, she was trampled on as crowds of people ran over her to get onto the airplane to the U.S. Noor could not get up and was injured. A U.S. soldier came to her rescue and got her on the plane.

As refugees, Amina and Noor are seeking every possible government service for help, but as it turns out, there are significant delays and the system is entirely overwhelmed. Amina and Noor desperately need help. Money raised from this fundraiser will help Amina and Noor purchase basic necessities as they try to get on their feet and find work. My parents, who hosted the two women for a weekend, said they are such lovely, resilient people.

It's the holiday season and we are all asked to donate and give to every possible cause and charity. However, if you have it in you to help these two Afghan refugees, please contribute to this fundraiser. ANY amount helps, even $5. Really, any amount will help them and they are in a desperate situation.

Thanks in advance to anyone who is able to help!!