The Vermont Afghan Alliance marked the third anniversary of the collapse of the Afghan government and U.S. troop withdrawal last week, when more than 150,000 Afghan citizens fled from the Taliban.On Thursday, the group spoke about their efforts to reunify families, and urged the United States Government to keep their promise to the Afghan people and help reunify families. Members of the Afghan community have since resettled in Vermont and are still separated from their loved ones.One woman who spoke with NBC5 said even though she now feels safe in Vermont, she still feels like an outsider. The environment and the entire system is so different,” Samimah Naiemi, a legal rights intern and Afghan refugee said. “I have always struggled with the notion of belonging… And then also it’s hard to fit in here.”Related: Vermont Afghan Alliance pushes for family reunificationThe group said it is essential to get families back together for the mental stability of their community.”It’s not easy to be separated from your loved ones for three years. I see how my people are suffering from this,” Yassin Hashimim, program officer and Afghan refugee, said. “They all work unstoppable to support them. There is no guarantee about their safety, and any time, something may happen to them.”The alliance said the most important thing now is support from the U.S. government to make evacuation efforts more efficient.The Vermont Afghan Alliance offers driving lessons, legal rights lessons and case management services. Vermont currently has the largest Afghan community in the country.
The Vermont Afghan Alliance marked the third anniversary of the collapse of the Afghan government and U.S. troop withdrawal last week, when more than 150,000 Afghan citizens fled from the Taliban.
On Thursday, the group spoke about their efforts to reunify families, and urged the United States Government to keep their promise to the Afghan people and help reunify families.
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Members of the Afghan community have since resettled in Vermont and are still separated from their loved ones.
One woman who spoke with NBC5 said even though she now feels safe in Vermont, she still feels like an outsider.
The environment and the entire system is so different,” Samimah Naiemi, a legal rights intern and Afghan refugee said. “I have always struggled with the notion of belonging… And then also it’s hard to fit in here.”
Related: Vermont Afghan Alliance pushes for family reunification
The group said it is essential to get families back together for the mental stability of their community.
“It’s not easy to be separated from your loved ones for three years. I see how my people are suffering from this,” Yassin Hashimim, program officer and Afghan refugee, said. “They all work unstoppable to support them. There is no guarantee about their safety, and any time, something may happen to them.”
The alliance said the most important thing now is support from the U.S. government to make evacuation efforts more efficient.
The Vermont Afghan Alliance offers driving lessons, legal rights lessons and case management services. Vermont currently has the largest Afghan community in the country.
