Shila is a single mother of five children who has worked tirelessly to rebuild her family’s life after fleeing violence in Afghanistan. She and her children are refugees who have survived domestic violence, displacement, and housing instability since arriving in the United States. Despite these hardships, Shila works full time to support her children, even though she never had the opportunity to attend school and faces daily challenges navigating systems on her own.

Last week, a car crash changed everything for this family.

The accident claimed the life of a 15-year-old family member and left Shila’s 21-year-old daughter, Zainab, critically injured. Zainab was hospitalized in the ICU and underwent emergency surgery on her spleen, followed by surgery to repair a broken jaw that required placement of a metal plate. She has now been discharged, but her recovery is just beginning.

As the family grieves the loss of a loved one, they are also caring for Zainab as she begins a long and painful healing process. Zainab was about to graduate high school and dreams of working in the cosmetics industry. Instead, she is now facing months of medical follow-up, rehabilitation, and emotional recovery.

Shila is doing everything she can to support her children through grief and trauma while managing overwhelming financial strain. This fundraiser is to help cover medical-related expenses, recovery needs, transportation to appointments, and basic household support as the family stabilizes during this incredibly difficult time.

Any contribution, no matter the size, will help ease the burden on a mother who has already endured so much and allow her family the space to heal.

Thank you for standing with this family during a moment of profound loss and recovery.