08/13/2026
My name is Pakhtoon. My story is one of war, fear, loss, survival, and hope.
In 1979, Afghanistan entered a devastating period of political violence and war. My parents moved our family from one province to another, desperately trying to keep me and my siblings safe. In 1988, we finally fled to Pakistan. We lived for years in a tent,
surrounded by hardship, before building a small home with mud and wood.
Despite poverty and a five-year gap in my education, I completed high school and later earned my bachelor’s degree from a Pakistani university. I married and eventually became a father of six children, four daughters and two sons.
In 2006, I returned to Afghanistan and worked with a German organization, then with Afghanistan’s other offices. In 2010, I began working on USAID-supported projects connected with the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, where I continued until 2021. My work came with enormous risks. I survived two su***de attacks at offices where some of my colleagues were killed and others injured. I also experienced approximately 12 roadside bomb explosions while traveling to and from work. Because of my work with U.S.-supported projects, I could not live freely or safely. I stayed mostly in Kabul with my family, afraid to travel even within my own country.
Then came August 2021.
When the Taliban captured Kabul, my life changed forever. I feared for my life and my family. For about ten days, I moved from one friend’s or relative’s home to another while Taliban forces searched houses for people who had worked with the United States.
I began my SIV application secretly, often using only my phone. Internet connections were extremely unreliable, and uploading a single document could take hours. I stayed awake through the night, waiting for messages from former supervisors in the United
States. At the same time, I feared that being discovered applying for the SIV could put my life in danger.
The process took nearly three years.
Even obtaining passports became another struggle. My family waited months. Medical examinations, vaccinations, COVID testing, documents, phone calls, and instructions had to be handled secretly. Sometimes Taliban checkpoints searched our phones and
belongings.
One day, after our COVID test, Taliban stopped our vehicle and searched us. My young daughter became extremely frightened, dizzy, and her blood pressure dropped. For a moment, I feared I might lose my child. Another day, while submitting our passports, a guard suddenly shouted, “Hide! Taliban are searching!” My wife, children, and I rushed into a dark basement and remained there for about an hour, terrified.
Then, we finally received the call: “Bring all your children and collect your passports.”
We thought we finally had time—but we did not. We were told to go directly to the airport. We had no time to pack properly, secure our home, or even finish the lunch we had prepared. We left almost everything behind. A nephew brought us only one bag of clothes and documents.
At Taliban checkpoints, we were instructed to show different documents and give different explanations about where we were traveling. Every checkpoint felt like it could be the end of our journey. Eventually, we reached the airplane.
I cannot describe the feeling of leaving Afghanistan with my wife and six children—relief mixed with heartbreak. We had escaped, but we were leaving behind our home, our memories, our belongings, our relatives, our friends, and the country where we were born.
We traveled through Dubai and Germany and waited about two and a half months for our U.S. visas. Eventually, we arrived in the United States and were resettled in Rochester, New York.
Our journey did not end at the airport. Starting a new life in a new country brought many challenges, but our resettlement agencies and community organizations supported us greatly. I am deeply grateful to the American people and to the organizations and
charities that welcomed and supported Afghan families like mine.
My story is not only my story. Thousands of Afghans have stories of loss, courage, sacrifice, and survival—many even more heartbreaking than mine. I respectfully ask the U.S. government, members of Congress, and the American people to remember the Afghans who stood beside and supported the United States during
difficult years. Many of us served U.S.-supported missions in Afghanistan, and today we continue to work hard, support our families, contribute to our communities, and build a better future in America.
We lost our homeland, but we did not lose hope.
I will always be grateful to the American people and especially to the resettlement agencies, charities, and community organizations that helped us rebuild our lives. I am especially thankful to organizations such as KOP, which stood beside us during difficult
times.
Thank you, America, for giving my family a second chance at life.
With gratitude and respect,
Pakhtoon
