Welcome to Episode 41 of The Afghanistan Project Podcast,
where hosts Beth Bailey and Mikael Cook 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.
Today’s guest Zainab Homam is the founder and CEO of the
Awesta Charitable Organisation, a UK-based charity which provided support to Afghan youth in Afghanistan between 2005 and 2018, when the security situation forced the charity to end its work there.
Zainab discussed the heartache of assisting Afghans who were
attempting to flee Afghanistan during the withdrawal alongside British colleagues and volunteers, including the desperation surrounding the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), a scheme which provided frustration rather than solutions to the refugee crisis.
Zainab also talked about the challenges surrounding helping
Afghan refugees in the UK, especially with mental health struggles and acclimating to a new set of social norms.
This week’s story comes from Shir, a man who is unable to
apply for a special immigrant visa because of technicalities. Because the U.S. corporation that employed him at the Kabul Airport received its pay from the Afghan Government, Shir’s first job with the U.S. did not count towards SIV eligibility. His former supervisor from a different job has refused to help Shir with paperwork needed to file an SIV.
About Zainab and Awesta Charitable Organisation:
Follow Zainab on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/zainab-homam-73057621/)
or find Awesta Charitable Organisation online at https://awesta.org/
About the hosts:
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.
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.
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.
