Afghan Refugee Family Overview

Mari Abad, Pakistan

 

In early 2016, Warren Muir volunteered to tutor an Afghan online in English. Shortly after starting weekly sessions his student, Ali, and his extended family fled from Kabul across the border to Pakistan because his life was threatened and because his brother-in-law disappeared and was presumably murdered. They are {Hazaras}, a persecuted religious (Shia) and ethnic minority (physically distinct descendants of Genghis Khan). Fleeing imminent danger, the family has ended up still at great risk in Mari Abad {Mari Abad}, a Hazara enclave in Pakistan’s tribal area in Quetta, Baluchistan. There, the family is stuck, living at great risk because the ISIS and al Qaeda leadership, both the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban, and many others in live in Quetta and seek to kill Hazara as infidels.

Maryam (10 yrs-old)

The extended family has registered with UNHCR as refugee seekers hoping to move to another country to safety. Those who fled consisted then of Ali, his recent bride, Rana, her mother, Feroz, and Rana’s widowed sister-in-law, Nasiba, with her son, 13 yr-old Maisam, and daughter, 10 yr-old Maryam. Since then, Ali and Rana now have a 4 yr-old son, Amir, and a second son expected in late October 2023.

 The following overview presentation features only young Maryam: {Afghan Refugee Presentation}. All the family members are all described in {The Afghan Family}.

 Maryam is a gifted artist who has gone to co-ed (non-Madrasa) schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is in her senior year. She has been one of the top two every year and is now fluent in English.

After Maryam graduates from high school, she has nowhere to go. She has no ID card so cannot apply to a university nor any money to pay for any educational expenses. Her mother, Nasiba, is begging for Maryam and Maisam (another good recent high school graduate) to have an opportunity to advance in life.

 A new Welcome Corps Program {Welcome Corps} was recently announced by the Federal Government, which before the end of 2023 intends to enable groups of five or more American citizens in an area nominate specific refugees whom they will commit to help, including financially, to get settled and become self-sufficient in their area within three months. The All Saints parish is supporting this effort and has established a dedicated Afghan Refugee Immigration financial account to receive contributions.

 We have a group of eight individuals split between Manchester and Wolfeboro willing to make the commitment. Because of Amadou and the experienced team in Manchester and because of the support of the All Saints Episcopal community, we hope to help fulfill Nasiba’s wish as well as give Ali, Rana, and their two children a well deserved opportunity to live in peace and contribute to a new community that welcomes them. {Status of Our Efforts} has the current status of the effort.