Support for Sahar's Afghan Family

In 2021 our group helped resettle Sahar, a young Afghan refugee, in Lancaster, PA. Her family sent her to the US so that she could avoid a forced marriage to a member of the Taliban and so she could continue her education. Sahar worked two jobs while attending HACC and graduated with honors. While this is an amazing achievement, her greatest dream since arriving is to be reunited with her parents and four siblings by having them safely resettled here in America.

Sahar's father (a medical doctor whose name we will protect for safety reasons) was working for the World Health Organization vaccinating children against polio when he was kidnapped by the Taliban at gunpoint and whisked away to a series of secret hiding places. They threatened him with death, accusing him of being a religious infidel, working for the opposition government, and of being an American spy. They held, interrogated, and tortured him, demanding that he contact government officials to have their prisoners released and that a ransom be paid for his freedom. After six terrifying days he was released with the expectation that he would get funds for them (which he never did). He and his family fled to Pakistan but are still under constant surveillance and living in fear.

Information about Sahar’s other family members:

• Sahar’s 51 year old mother was a midwife for several years and then became a Health Navigator for World Vision. After the Taliban kidnapped her husband she had a heart attack, her health declined, and she was no longer able to work. [Neither the husband or wife is permitted to work in Pakistan because of their legal status.]

• Sahar’s 22 year old sister fortunately had a college scholarship from Pakistan before the Taliban, and she was able to continue her education as a medical student there.

• Sahar’s 18 year old sister was in 10th grade when the Taliban took over and forbade her to continue school in Afghanistan. Thankfully she is enrolled in school again, attending a school for girls in Pakistan. However, there is no guarantee that she will receive a diploma because of her lack of legal status.

• Sahar has twin 17 year old brothers. One of them was in high school and the other has an intellectual disability precluding traditional studies. Legal barriers prevent them from attending school in Pakistan.

Sahar has an extremely small window of opportunity to get her parents and four siblings into the US on a refugee status, if she can get at least 60% of the required funding by July 31, 2024. The government organization requires a minimum of $2,425 per refugee, which will help with their housing, furnishings, medical screenings, etc. We will be supporting the family for at least 90 days, so any amount over our initial goal will go towards the remaining 40% owed, plane tickets, and other living expenses as they start jobs to support themselves.

Any and all financial donations will help and be greatly appreciated! Please find it in your heart to donate what you can. If you have any questions please reach out to us directly by messaging us here.