Support the Muhabats, an Afghan Refugee Family

Sayed Zada, his wife and their six children fled Afghanistan last summer after the Taliban took control of their country. Sayed Zada had worked closely with the U.S. military during a highly decorated, 19-year career. Because of his long-standing relationship with the U.S. government, his family was one of the first to be evacuated after the fall of Kabul. However, the evacuation was rushed, and Sayed Zada had to leave some family members behind, including his oldest daughter.

The family arrived safely at Fort Bliss, Texas in early September. Life on the military base was not easy, but the close-knit family remained optimistic. They eventually got sponsored in December and relocated to Seattle where they have some friends. They're now in a rental house in greater Seattle, but it lacks a few necessities for their large family of eight.

We're organizing a GoFundMe to help this incredibly hardworking and kind-hearted family get firmly rooted in their new homeland. We’re hoping to set the family up with necessary and culturally-appropriate furnishings. For example, they currently do not have an oven in their tiny kitchen, but homemade bread is essential to every Afghan meal. Their other immediate needs are a washer & dryer so they don’t have to handwash laundry for eight people, and a fenced-in yard so their six school-aged kids can safely play outside.

We understand their needs will change as the family adjusts to life in America, and we’d like to raise this money to cover their basic cost of living, including simple home improvements, medical care, rent, transportation to work, and other unexpected expenses. Sayed Zada also dreams of the day when he can bring his oldest daughter to Seattle and reunite the whole family.

The Muhabats have come a long way since arriving in the U.S.: the kids are all enrolled in school, the entire family has seen doctors and dentists, and they’ve started to furnish and decorate their first American home. They’ve even cleared an enormous blackberry patch from the rental property to make room for a community garden that will benefit local Afghan refugees. These last few items will make a tremendous difference for them and help provide a safety net as they plan their future.

Thank you so much for considering a gift to help them set down roots in our country!

*The faces of the women in the family were blurred due to cultural sensitivities around photography.