A local group is working to bring a refugee family from Afghanistan to Campbell River, and is looking for help to raise the money to do so.
Safe Journey from Afghanistan is a small group of Campbell Riverites who are working to sponsor a family of 10 making the journey from Afghanistan to Campbell River. The family should be arriving in approximately eight months. The group is hoping to sponsor a second group of nine people from the same family after the first family members arrive.
The group needs to raise a total of $69,000 to support the family financially for the first year of them being in Canada, as a requirement of the refugee sponsorship. So far they have raised $43,000 through personal donations and a Daybreak Rotary grant donation. There is $26,000 left to raise.
The family decided to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban asked the father to “hand over his 16-year-old daughter for marriage,” a release from Safe Journey from Afghanistan says.
“Like any good father, he refused to hand his daughter to an extremist organization and was shot and killed as a result. The Taliban continued to demand the daughter and threatened to murder more family members if they did not. That led the family into hiding with various families and led them to us to try to help them escape to Canada,” the release says. “After hiding for many months, the eldest son, and therefore the new head of the family, was shot by the Taliban at a funeral he attended. After surviving his wounds, we all decided Afghanistan was too dangerous for them and managed to get them across the border to Pakistan.”
At the moment, the family is still in Pakistan, but are still at risk of being found by Taliban groups, or being deported for being in the country illegally. Safe Journey from Afghanistan is supporting the family while they are in Pakistan, since they are unable to get work visas. Since they crossed the border, two of the women — who were pregnant before leaving Afghanistan — have given birth within a day of each other.
“This group is mostly made of women and children and the children range from age 17 to babies, mostly being elementary school age,” the release says.
The family will need to be helped with schooling, language, employment, driving skills and more to help them adapt to life in Canada.
To help meet the fundraising goal, a gala is being held at the Maritime Heritage Centre on Feb. 18. Appetizers, desserts, a silent and live auction, and a cash bar by Beach Fire Brewing will help raise the funds.
For more information, contact cherylcouture@gmail.com or safejourneysponsorteam@gmail.com or join their Facebook page Safe journey from Afghanistan to Vancouver Island sponsorship https://www.facebook.com/groups/1408681822967704
“This is a very sweet and scared family who is extremely appreciative of the help they are receiving and are looking forward to a fresh start and safe new home to raise their family in our wonderful community,” the release says.
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