Welcome to Episode 35 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guests today are representatives from resettlement support agency REACT DC, which has been working to support Afghan refugees who arrived in the D.C. metro area in the aftermath of Operation Allies Welcome.
Sarah Cady, the Chief Executive Officer of REACT DC, discussed how the nonprofit stood up in September 2021 with prodigious support from Afghans and advocates throughout the area. She also talked about many of the specific programs that REACT DC has developed to address the ongoing needs of the refugee population, including initiatives to support Afghan women, and to provide legal help for refugees still navigating asylum requests, the special immigrant visa program, and the re-parole process.
Hasib Dellawar, the director of REACT DC’s Career Pathways
program, talked about his own path to the U.S., which began with service to the American government that qualified him for the SIV program. Hasib and his family arrived in the U.S. on the day that his country fell to the Taliban, Aug. 15, 2021. He began adjusting to the area with help from resettlement agencies and friends, and eventually found and began to work for REACT DC.
Now, Hasib helps Afghans find employment through the Career
Pathways program. Many Afghans who have arrived in the U.S. have professions that they are no longer able to practice in the U.S. without further education or certification. The Career Pathways team helps Afghan identify their skills, work up resumes, and determine whether they want to find work job market that matches their previous experience, or helps them enter into a new career field that excites them.
At the end of the show, Sarah and Hasib discussed how Afghans have been mentally impacted by decades of war and trauma, and the need to provide mental health support to refugee populations.
Find REACT DC via:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/reactdcorg
Website, https://www.reactdc.org/
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/resettlement-action-dc-react-dc/
About the hosts:
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran
of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations
as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For Afghan listeners:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future
episode, please send us a letter about your experiences to our show e-mail address, theafghanistanprojectpodcast@gmail.com.
Please include as much detail as possible, and let us know if you would like us to give you a pseudonym to protect your identity.
