After three years of persistent advocacy, two Afghan families that worked with Community Supported Film have finally arrived in the United States. Hashmat arrived in Sacramento, California in July with his wife and four children. Reza Sahel and his wife and four children are settling in Houston Texas having arrived in August. Your generous support of CSFilm’s Fund for Afghan Evacuation and Resettlement made this possible. THANK YOU!
Reza worked on CSFilm’s training project in Afghanistan in 2010-11 and produced the film Searching for a Path. His was among the few families we managed to get on a flight to Poland during the horrific days of August 2021 when Kabul fell to the Taliban. Soon after, he and his family moved to Germany, where they endured three years of uncertainty, waiting for the U.S. to process the P2 Referral we had submitted.
Reza is an accomplished photo and video journalist. You can view his work on Instagram: @mohammad_reza_sahel. While in Germany, he learned the Python programming language. He is looking for any job that will allow him to put his skills to use. Please get in touch if you have any opportunities or ideas.
Hashmat is a video editor, who worked with CSFilm on a training of communications officers within the Afghan government. As Hashmat writes below, since the Taliban takeover, he and his family have had a terrible time surviving in Afghanistan. In June, they were evacuated from Kabul and flown to a processing center in Doha. While it may surprise you, thanks to the generous help of intermediaries like the Qataris, the U.S. has been able to negotiate with the Taliban and continue evacuating vulnerable people out of Afghanistan. This tenuous process persists largely due to the pressure put on the US government by a coalition of dedicated activists. CSFilm is a part of that coalition and participates in regular meetings and activities.
After a month and a half of processing in Doha, Hashmat’s family relocated to Sacramento. The organizations responsible for the family’s resettlement in California are stretched thin and have not been able to help with many basic needs. CSFilm reached out to friends and organizations in the region. We are grateful to all who responded – including GERA-California, who provided 6 beds.
Since the family was without furniture, we are especially thankful to Kunal Shah and his friend Ali Nazeer, who gathered a truck load of furniture, much of it donated by Ali’s father-in-law, and delivered it along with a computer! The kids were thrilled to receive a computer, as it is essential for their schoolwork. Kunal has subsequently sent a sofa! We are grateful for Kunal and Ali’s generosity.
Hashmat is looking for any type of work – whether in his field as an experienced video editor or not. Please reach out with any ideas or opportunities.
Upon arriving in the U.S., Hashmat shared the following message with Michael Sheridan, CSFilm director, and his wife Anuradha. His words are meant for all of you who supported the Fund for Afghan Evacuation and Resettlement, providing vital support to Afghans:
I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to express my deep and heartfelt gratitude for all the support and assistance you have provided over the past three years.
Reflecting on our journey to America, I had a relatively stable life before 2021 in Afghanistan. In 2021, when the Taliban took control of Kabul, my family and I found ourselves living in constant fear and uncertainty – knowing the Taliban could arrive at our home at any moment, especially since I had worked for many years with foreign organizations and with the Afghan government in the media sector.
To make matters worse, I had lost my job, and we were facing severe financial difficulties. It was in these dark days that you introduced me to the P2 program, which sparked a glimmer of hope for us. You and your esteemed wife were always there for us during the evacuation process, tirelessly responding to our messages and doing everything possible to help us escape the dangers we faced. My family and I will never forget your efforts—words cannot express how profoundly grateful we are.
Beyond that, in 2021 and 2022, when we were struggling to survive in Afghanistan, you, your family and friends went above and beyond to send us financial assistance. With your generosity I was able to provide food for my family and ensure my children had school supplies. It was more than just material help—it was hope, during a time when hope was scarce.
Today, thanks to your kindness, my family and I are living in the United States, in California, in significantly better conditions. I extend my gratitude to the U.S. State Department and the Afghan Evacuation team for their assistance.
Migration is very challenging but every day our lives are improving, and I have faith that this upward journey will continue. My children are now attending school, and my daughter, who couldn’t go to school for two years in Kabul, is now very eager to continue her studies. My wife and I will be attending English language courses, with the aspiration of securing stable jobs and building a new life.
Mr. Michael, family and friends, I will forever carry your kindness in my heart. I pray for your continued health and well-being, and I will never forget the extraordinary help you have extended to me and my family during the most challenging times of our lives.
In addition to the arrival of Reza’s and Hashmat’s families, your support has allowed us over the last three years to help 8 families settle in Canada, England, Germany and Spain. Community Supported Film is actively working to assist 10 additional Afghan families with evacuation and resettlement. These families are currently in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Italy, Germany and France. We will continue to provide legal and logistical support in the hope of helping them reach safety and stability.
[Photos blurred and names withheld to protect family members still at risk in Afghanistan]
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