Homeless Afghan Mother Building New Life

Three months ago, the Afghan Association got a call from a good Samaritan named “Betty.” Betty had been housing an Afghan woman, Maryam, and looking for help. She could no longer afford to house and feed her. Maryam came here legally with her husband and two children. For reasons unknown, her husband abandoned them and Maryam was unable to care for herself or her children. Ultimately, Maryam’s kids were put into foster care and Maryam’s immigration documents expired.

Maryam has been evaluated by a Psychologist and medical doctor. While much of her past remains unclear, both speculate traumatic events coupled with a brain injury have contributed to her condition and limited her ability to care for herself or others.

As of today, we have found a room for Maryam to rent in a nice area for $500/month (utilities included). We are also working with an attorney to help Maryam renew her legal status.

Maryam still has a long way to go in rebuilding her life. She is relatively young, gentle, and kind. Please help us raise money to cover Maryam’s rent and living expenses until a solution is found for her long-term care. Your contributions will go directly to pay for Maryam’s rent, groceries, and other needs relating to healthcare and hygiene.

The Afghan Association helps people like Maryam build new lives and reach their potential. Since 2021, we’ve helped over 200 Afghan refugees/families by providing essential aid such as furniture, medical screenings, mental health counseling, housing, clothing, funeral expenses, driving lessons, and more. Our work has also expanded greatly into helping to end domestic violence and promoting women's empowerment and independence.

The first $6,000 raised will be kept in a separate fund exclusively to pay for Maryam’s rent and living expenses. The rest will go towards helping other refugees in need housing, transportation, driving lessons, and legal fees. We will update donors on Maryam’s status here.

You can read more about how the AACVA is helping Afghans build new lives in Central Virginia at www.aacva.us.

Thank you.

#AfghanRefugees #HopeForAfghanistan #AfghanWomenEmpowerment #SupportAACVA

1. Who you are and where you are from - I'm Farah Salam Hottle, an Afghan American and Board Member of the Afghan Association of Central Virginia (501c3 nonprofit organization).

2. Your relationship to the parties you're raising funds for: Board Member

3. Your plan to send the funds to the intended recipients, and their names: Directly to the bank account of the Afghan Association of Central Virginia. The first $6,000 will be stored separately for Maryam.

4. How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible) – The first $6,000 will be used for Maryam’s living expenses and rent. Anything else will be spent to provide temporary housing to other Afghan refugees, sponsor driving lessons for Afghan women, provide home furnishings or other basic necessities to newly established families, and potentially towards various immigration cases in which we have refugees still seeking asylum or to reunite with relatives.