Checking in with five Afghan refugees, 2 years after U.S. withdrawal
Ahmad Mehdi Attaey now lives in Rochester, Minn., with spouse Muhadesa and daughter Rukhsar. The family fled Afghanistan in Nov. 2021 and moved to Minnesota after staying in camps in Qatar and New Jersey.
Courtesy of Ahmad Mehdi Attaey
Two years ago, the last United States military forces left Afghanistan and the Taliban declared victory from the Kabul airport tarmac.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled their homes, sometimes waiting months for a way out of their home country or a chance to leave refugee camps. Many are still waiting.
Between Sept. 2021 and 2022, Minnesota resettled more than 1,300 Afghans who have started over in an unknown place, carrying the weight of war and the uncertainty of what comes next. We talked to five Afghans about their journeys here and their lives today.
Use the audio player above to listen to the full conversation.
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Audio transcript
INTERVIEWER: It was two years ago today that the last US forces left Afghanistan, and the Taliban declared victory from the Kabul airport tarmac. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans fled their homes, sometimes waiting months for a way out of their home country or a chance to leave refugee camps. Many are still waiting.
Between September 2021 and 2022, Minnesota resettled more than 1,300 Afghans, who have had to start over in an unknown place, carrying the weight of war and the uncertainty of what comes next. We talked to five Afghans about their journeys here and their lives today.
AHMAD MAHDI AL-TAYYIB: My name is Ahmad Mahdi Al-Tayyib. I have a small family. I have a daughter, which her name is Rosa, and my wife Mahadasha. And I'm 38. Yeah, I was living in Kabul City when Afghanistan fall down. I was working with a TV station. I was the production manager.
When I came home, that I told my family that we have to pack all our stuff, that we have to hide somewhere till that time that our colleagues in the United States-- they find some way to get us out. So the problem that I had is my daughter didn't have a passport. She was six months. So we couldn't find any time to get a passport for her. So for evacuation, they need a passport for her.
So after two months, I remembered that my wife told that if anything happened, I don't care. I'm going to get a passport for my daughter. It was the first time that she was asking for something that I wasn't able to do that. And she told me that I'm going to get a passport.
I don't care, the Taliban, what they're going to do to me. And she tried a lot. One week, I remember on the Taliban rules-- so they have a rule that no woman and no ladies allowed to come out home without any man. She went with my father, sometimes with my little brother to get a passport for my daughter. And she got it.
Minnesota is the home that I-- after this horrible situation, I found a safe place. So that's why I love Minnesota. I have left my family-- my father and my family behind. And my wife did the same thing as well. Nowadays that I was supporting my family to get out from Afghanistan, they are in Pakistan right now. But at least they are safe.
The biggest thing has changed is my job career. Right now I'm working as a food service, but I like this job. Because I have learned a lot of things about the food, about the allergies. The only thing that I'm always thankful for that is that right now I'm happy for that my wife and my daughter are able to study. My wife used to study law back home in Afghanistan. I wish she could study again. And I wish for my daughter to study and work hard. At least she is safe right now, and she is able to study.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
FATIMA RAHIMI: My name is Fatima Rahimi. I'm right now in Minnesota, visiting Minnesota. I used to live in Minnesota for nine months. I first arrived in Minnesota and settled here. But then I got into a school in New York. So I moved up there. I'm studying computer science. I love problem solving.
I had a coding class before going to school. So I don't get tired of it. So I can just spend hours coding, and it's given me challenges. And I like to solve them. I would say I got lucky because when I was at the military base, one of my former professors told me that this college board, they're admitting Afghan students there. And they have special scholarships allocated for you guys. So you should apply for it.
I got into that school while I was in the military base. But I didn't choose to go there because I wanted to come to Minnesota and resettle here for a little bit and clear my mind of everything, all of those traumas and stuff, and then go to school.
I came here by myself. So I didn't have my family here, but I had some friends with me. The first night when we got to the apartment, there was nothing in the apartment except the bed. And the apartment looks terrible. It looked terrible at that time.
But then after a week, we went to a [? bridging, ?] who was giving away their used furnitures. So we got some furnitures and stuff from the bridge and made it a home finally. I did some artworks for my room. And I put it on the windows and on the wall.
The weather in Minnesota is the same way that it is in my hometown. In my hometown, we have long winters and stuff. And I love winter, and I love snow. So I just came here. When I was in Minnesota, I applied for asylum. I did my interview, and I hear back, and I got approved. So I'm going to apply for my Green Card in a month. So I'll be able to stay here.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ABDUL WAHAB SAHAR: Hi, this is Abdul Wahab Sahar. I'm currently living in Minneapolis. I'll be a senior this year at South High School, and I'm 17. My dad was in Afghanistan. He was working with Americans. He's an electrical engineer. And we are Hazara. When he saw that Taliban is coming, I thought my dad was saying we are done. We have to leave or we're going to die.
Because we are qualified for everything. We are Hazara people. I work with Americans. I work with Chinese. I work with German people. I'm done now. Let's go or they're just going to kill us. And we just move to the US.
I just want to forget everything that happened now. Now I'm living in the US. I just want live my different life. I have those memories. It hurts all the time. I just don't want to remember it again. When I started school, when I went there, there was no one-- no one is speaking Dari, my language. And they just speaking English, and they didn't know what to do or what to learn. I'm glad that I was trying hard. I was able to learn the language. I know people who's still struggling with English.
When I was in Afghanistan, I was doing some arts. And now here, I do ceramics. And I really enjoy that. And they're saying that you're really good for a beginner. And it was my first time too. I'm thinking about what should I do after high school. It's over almost two years. I'm thinking of that. It's
Because when I was in Afghanistan, in Afghanistan, if you finish high school, you will go to college. And it's like there is no future for you. And now it's very hard. I'm struggling with that. I'm always thinking, what should I do for future? It's always bothering me.
We are applying for asylum and SIV. We haven't gotten any answer yet. This one is like, it's also some problem in my life. And I was thinking if I try to study hard, and if they send me back Afghanistan, it's going to break my heart. It's bothering me a lot. This way, I can do my best. Because if I go study hard and I don't do work and they send me back Afghanistan, I will have nothing.
Actually, I applied for two jobs, and I got both. Both of them called me and offered me the job. And I had to choose one because the time was matching. And I got the Opportunity Center job. And I'm currently helping with some events like Somali days or going to elementary schools and help kids.
It's very good because I'm making some new friends. And I can improve my English. And I can see how people speak. And I will be able to understand people with different accents. And I'm also helping some older people, and that makes me very happy. It makes me very happy when I help someone.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
HUSSAIN ALI HAIDARI: My name is Hussein Ali Haidari. I came in Minnesota on February 10, 2022. When I arrived here, I start my job with a restaurant, Panera Bread in St. Louis Park. And then I launched a new service with the supporting of some journal by the name of New Home. Right now I'm working as an editor and reporter for New Home.
I have four-years degree from Kabul University of Afghanistan. It is the big and best university of Afghanistan. And then I graduated from Kabul University in 2016. After that, I start my job with the most popular newspaper in Afghanistan. And after that, I founded a news website by the name of [? Karabakh ?] Press.
So when I came here, I was thinking how to find a way to start writing again for the Afghan community, to help Afghan community here. And then I would love to continue my career, my occupation, journalist here in Minnesota and the United States.
When a person new in the community, especially those people who can speak English, who can read English, they don't know how to take the bus, how to make an appointment with the doctor, how to apply for the public assistance, child care assistance, cash assistance, how to keep warm in the winter.
When I finished the basic tense, I start the translation of articles. And I'm monitoring different news service in the US. So that's the most important things that I translate for the Afghan communities in Dari and Pashto, the two most popular language in Afghanistan.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SAHA WAHIDI: My name is Saha Wahidi, and I have been here in Minnesota since September 2022. I live by myself, and it was my first time that I was living by myself. And everything was very new to me. I was living alone in a place that you don't know anyone here. And it's difficult to find friends.
I'm trying to keep myself busy. Because in Afghanistan, it's a little different because most of Afghans, they have big families. When I was back in Afghanistan, we are 13 people in a family. I have many friends there. And there were a lot of people around me.
When I came, I found myself alone. And most of people there, not living alone. They are enjoying living by themselves. Yeah, but I'm trying to learn. And now I'm working in a nonprofit organization. It's called Afghan Cultural Society. I'm leading that women's mental health program. The purpose of this program is to help Afghan women-- that we are trying to help them to know about their mental health. Because most of them, they have a lot of stress in their life because adjusting to a new place is difficult.
We had yoga. We had the photography. They learn to spend when they are free-- they take pictures. Or maybe that gives them a good feeling. And also this round, we have the embroidery and book club that in every round about 20 Afghan women, they are registering for that program. And most of them-- they make new friends. They are sharing their experience. When I see how people meet each other and make connection with each other, it makes me feel very proud.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
INTERVIEWER: This piece was produced by Alanna Elder and Gretchen Brown.
Between September 2021 and 2022, Minnesota resettled more than 1,300 Afghans, who have had to start over in an unknown place, carrying the weight of war and the uncertainty of what comes next. We talked to five Afghans about their journeys here and their lives today.
AHMAD MAHDI AL-TAYYIB: My name is Ahmad Mahdi Al-Tayyib. I have a small family. I have a daughter, which her name is Rosa, and my wife Mahadasha. And I'm 38. Yeah, I was living in Kabul City when Afghanistan fall down. I was working with a TV station. I was the production manager.
When I came home, that I told my family that we have to pack all our stuff, that we have to hide somewhere till that time that our colleagues in the United States-- they find some way to get us out. So the problem that I had is my daughter didn't have a passport. She was six months. So we couldn't find any time to get a passport for her. So for evacuation, they need a passport for her.
So after two months, I remembered that my wife told that if anything happened, I don't care. I'm going to get a passport for my daughter. It was the first time that she was asking for something that I wasn't able to do that. And she told me that I'm going to get a passport.
I don't care, the Taliban, what they're going to do to me. And she tried a lot. One week, I remember on the Taliban rules-- so they have a rule that no woman and no ladies allowed to come out home without any man. She went with my father, sometimes with my little brother to get a passport for my daughter. And she got it.
Minnesota is the home that I-- after this horrible situation, I found a safe place. So that's why I love Minnesota. I have left my family-- my father and my family behind. And my wife did the same thing as well. Nowadays that I was supporting my family to get out from Afghanistan, they are in Pakistan right now. But at least they are safe.
The biggest thing has changed is my job career. Right now I'm working as a food service, but I like this job. Because I have learned a lot of things about the food, about the allergies. The only thing that I'm always thankful for that is that right now I'm happy for that my wife and my daughter are able to study. My wife used to study law back home in Afghanistan. I wish she could study again. And I wish for my daughter to study and work hard. At least she is safe right now, and she is able to study.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
FATIMA RAHIMI: My name is Fatima Rahimi. I'm right now in Minnesota, visiting Minnesota. I used to live in Minnesota for nine months. I first arrived in Minnesota and settled here. But then I got into a school in New York. So I moved up there. I'm studying computer science. I love problem solving.
I had a coding class before going to school. So I don't get tired of it. So I can just spend hours coding, and it's given me challenges. And I like to solve them. I would say I got lucky because when I was at the military base, one of my former professors told me that this college board, they're admitting Afghan students there. And they have special scholarships allocated for you guys. So you should apply for it.
I got into that school while I was in the military base. But I didn't choose to go there because I wanted to come to Minnesota and resettle here for a little bit and clear my mind of everything, all of those traumas and stuff, and then go to school.
I came here by myself. So I didn't have my family here, but I had some friends with me. The first night when we got to the apartment, there was nothing in the apartment except the bed. And the apartment looks terrible. It looked terrible at that time.
But then after a week, we went to a [? bridging, ?] who was giving away their used furnitures. So we got some furnitures and stuff from the bridge and made it a home finally. I did some artworks for my room. And I put it on the windows and on the wall.
The weather in Minnesota is the same way that it is in my hometown. In my hometown, we have long winters and stuff. And I love winter, and I love snow. So I just came here. When I was in Minnesota, I applied for asylum. I did my interview, and I hear back, and I got approved. So I'm going to apply for my Green Card in a month. So I'll be able to stay here.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
ABDUL WAHAB SAHAR: Hi, this is Abdul Wahab Sahar. I'm currently living in Minneapolis. I'll be a senior this year at South High School, and I'm 17. My dad was in Afghanistan. He was working with Americans. He's an electrical engineer. And we are Hazara. When he saw that Taliban is coming, I thought my dad was saying we are done. We have to leave or we're going to die.
Because we are qualified for everything. We are Hazara people. I work with Americans. I work with Chinese. I work with German people. I'm done now. Let's go or they're just going to kill us. And we just move to the US.
I just want to forget everything that happened now. Now I'm living in the US. I just want live my different life. I have those memories. It hurts all the time. I just don't want to remember it again. When I started school, when I went there, there was no one-- no one is speaking Dari, my language. And they just speaking English, and they didn't know what to do or what to learn. I'm glad that I was trying hard. I was able to learn the language. I know people who's still struggling with English.
When I was in Afghanistan, I was doing some arts. And now here, I do ceramics. And I really enjoy that. And they're saying that you're really good for a beginner. And it was my first time too. I'm thinking about what should I do after high school. It's over almost two years. I'm thinking of that. It's
Because when I was in Afghanistan, in Afghanistan, if you finish high school, you will go to college. And it's like there is no future for you. And now it's very hard. I'm struggling with that. I'm always thinking, what should I do for future? It's always bothering me.
We are applying for asylum and SIV. We haven't gotten any answer yet. This one is like, it's also some problem in my life. And I was thinking if I try to study hard, and if they send me back Afghanistan, it's going to break my heart. It's bothering me a lot. This way, I can do my best. Because if I go study hard and I don't do work and they send me back Afghanistan, I will have nothing.
Actually, I applied for two jobs, and I got both. Both of them called me and offered me the job. And I had to choose one because the time was matching. And I got the Opportunity Center job. And I'm currently helping with some events like Somali days or going to elementary schools and help kids.
It's very good because I'm making some new friends. And I can improve my English. And I can see how people speak. And I will be able to understand people with different accents. And I'm also helping some older people, and that makes me very happy. It makes me very happy when I help someone.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
HUSSAIN ALI HAIDARI: My name is Hussein Ali Haidari. I came in Minnesota on February 10, 2022. When I arrived here, I start my job with a restaurant, Panera Bread in St. Louis Park. And then I launched a new service with the supporting of some journal by the name of New Home. Right now I'm working as an editor and reporter for New Home.
I have four-years degree from Kabul University of Afghanistan. It is the big and best university of Afghanistan. And then I graduated from Kabul University in 2016. After that, I start my job with the most popular newspaper in Afghanistan. And after that, I founded a news website by the name of [? Karabakh ?] Press.
So when I came here, I was thinking how to find a way to start writing again for the Afghan community, to help Afghan community here. And then I would love to continue my career, my occupation, journalist here in Minnesota and the United States.
When a person new in the community, especially those people who can speak English, who can read English, they don't know how to take the bus, how to make an appointment with the doctor, how to apply for the public assistance, child care assistance, cash assistance, how to keep warm in the winter.
When I finished the basic tense, I start the translation of articles. And I'm monitoring different news service in the US. So that's the most important things that I translate for the Afghan communities in Dari and Pashto, the two most popular language in Afghanistan.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
SAHA WAHIDI: My name is Saha Wahidi, and I have been here in Minnesota since September 2022. I live by myself, and it was my first time that I was living by myself. And everything was very new to me. I was living alone in a place that you don't know anyone here. And it's difficult to find friends.
I'm trying to keep myself busy. Because in Afghanistan, it's a little different because most of Afghans, they have big families. When I was back in Afghanistan, we are 13 people in a family. I have many friends there. And there were a lot of people around me.
When I came, I found myself alone. And most of people there, not living alone. They are enjoying living by themselves. Yeah, but I'm trying to learn. And now I'm working in a nonprofit organization. It's called Afghan Cultural Society. I'm leading that women's mental health program. The purpose of this program is to help Afghan women-- that we are trying to help them to know about their mental health. Because most of them, they have a lot of stress in their life because adjusting to a new place is difficult.
We had yoga. We had the photography. They learn to spend when they are free-- they take pictures. Or maybe that gives them a good feeling. And also this round, we have the embroidery and book club that in every round about 20 Afghan women, they are registering for that program. And most of them-- they make new friends. They are sharing their experience. When I see how people meet each other and make connection with each other, it makes me feel very proud.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
INTERVIEWER: This piece was produced by Alanna Elder and Gretchen Brown.
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