Shamsudin Shamsudin had a good job as a telecommunications technician, opportunities to travel all over the world, nice cars and a comfortable home in Kabul. But when the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, Shamsudin decided he, his wife Zumrad and their four children should leave the country.
“They can kill us immediately or they can kidnap my son and ask for money. They are doing these kinds of things,” said Shamsudin, who had been a contractor for the U.S. Agency for International Development and other organizations.
Farida, whose last name is withheld to protect her identity, had a similar experience. She was working as a dentist when she and her mother fled Afghanistan last summer. Farida, Shamsudin and thousands of other Afghans are now starting over, working to achieve in the United States all that they accomplished in their home country. As with other resettlement agencies, diocesan Catholic Charities is helping them on their journey to self-sufficiency in their new home.
Because of his work with the U.S. government, Shamsudin was able to receive a Special Immigrant Visa, which is issued to individuals who supported U.S. armed forces overseas in conflict zones, especially Iraq and Afghanistan. But though he had the visa, trying to leave the country last summer was dangerous and difficult. Shamsudin recorded a video on his phone in August that shows scores of people flocking toward the airport, hesitating only slightly as the sound of gunshots repeatedly punctuated the air. “We tried many times. It was impossible,” he said.
In September, they were able to fly to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. “It was $1,800 per person for a 45-minute flight,” he said. They spent several days in Pakistan before getting much cheaper tickets for the 18-hour journey to the United States. Hedayat Madari, a case manager with diocesan Catholic Charities, met the weary family at Dulles Airport Oct. 6.
After arriving, Shamsudin, who speaks English, quickly went to work finding an affordable apartment and someone to cosign the lease. The family now lives in a two-bedroom apartment in Alexandria. Catholic Charities helps them pay their rent through its matching grant extended assistance program, which supports clients for up to six months.
Though Shamsudin has 18 years of experience in his field, he’s still searching for a job, eagerly looking for one that will support his family. “When I’m going with the food stamp card to the supermarket, believe me I’m not feeling (good),” he said.
But he’s looking forward to the opportunities living in this country will give his children. “I came for my kids. My girl is 14 years old, (the Taliban would) not allow her to go to school. They don’t see women as human,” he said. Now, all his children attend school and are doing well, he said, as his oldest daughter used her laptop and one of his sons rode a scooter through the living room. “They are more than happy.”
Not long after she arrived in the U.S. and settled in Woodbridge, Farida enrolled in the Catholic Charities Breaking the Barriers Employment Program to help her find a job. Her native language is Dari and her English skills were basic, but she still wanted to work in a dental office. Her employment specialist helped her develop an American-style resume and apply for several jobs. After an interview at a dental clinic in Herndon, she was hired as a full-time dental assistant making $20 an hour.
Farida recently got her driver’s license and she and her mother moved closer to her work. She still hopes to be a dentist again and recently earned her X-ray certification from Northern Virginia Community College. She told Catholic Charities that the day she got her first paycheck was “the very best day.”
