This page contains interviews with Guests and/or Hosts. Additional interviews and testimonials will be added over time.
We have changed the names of the guests in some cases to protect their identity/location.
Banizer’s * Story
Question # 1: Why did you leave Afghanistan:
In 2021 we lost everything in Afghanistan when the country was captured by the Taliban terrorist group. I joined thousands of other leaders against the Taliban, in meetings, protests, demonstrations, sending in writings to the national and international media. I was an educator who was teaching young girls in Afghanistan, which is completely against the belief of the Taliban, and I was working for democracy, freedom of expression and (free) elections.
The Taliban opposed everything and after they came to the country in August, 2021 and captured everything, I needed to go into hiding up to November of 2022. There was no way to stay there because many times I received threatening letters, they were calling me, they were sending me messages through facebook and many different platforms threatening me.
If they arrested me they would kill me. I know this because they told me and that’s why I left my country.
Question #2: What was it like coming into a new home and environment?
For one year I was in Pakistan, then, in October 2023, I came to the United States. My lawyer introduced me to Welcoming Homes and I found this house (with Darragh and Jan) and its really great.
Question #3: How did Welcoming Homes help you?
I believe that the hardest part of life is being an immigrant. Life has ups and downs but the hardest part is when you are coming from a country like Afghanistan to a country like America where there is a big difference, an unbelievable difference.
Being an immigrant in this country is really hard but still in these hard situations we can find some really great people, I met some unforgettable people and moments and one of those unforgettable moments is with Mindy and Sid and Welcoming Homes and their (families) really nice people and really helpful people (with Darragh and Jan) who helped me and they didn’t just give me a house, they gave me everything, they give me a family, a new identity, a new culture, a new life, new hopes and now i know how to deal with America and how to deal with the American life.
They helped me to find a job so I can work here. Basically refugees leave home to make a home and now I can make a home for myself and the credit of everything goes to them, Jan and Darragh and Welcoming Homes. They really helped me and it is really, really adorable.
Question #4: What are your future dreams?
As I mentioned, in my home country I was an educator and was leading private schools and at the same time I had thousands of students and thousands of employees. We were working for a bright future. In countries like Afghanistan we are facing the lack of education so we are trying very hard to bring that bright future to our country for the next generation through education.
While in the United States, my dream is to continue to my work and can do something for my people Afghanistan. Millions of people are still there captured by the terrorist group and they need education, especially the women whose education and everything is still closed for them and they have no rights, Taliban behave them like things to use and that’s it, so my dream is to work again for education.
Question #5: Would you ever consider housing a refugee yourself?
Yah! I told you I believe it is not good to hide from the past, for me right now the hard part of life is being an immigrant so better than anyone I can understand what it is like to be an immigrant. In the future if I be able to help people I’m ready and interested in that.
If we want to have a complete life, if we want to have a safe environment, if we want to have good relationships and build a nice community, we must help each other and I’m ready and interested to help others.
Question #6: Do you miss anything from your home country?
You should change the question to what don’t I miss hahaha!
I miss everything, my family, my friends my colleagues, my students, my country, even the stones, even the trees even the weather! I grew up there and I can’t cut my relationship with my country.
Just a few days ago we had Ramadan and after Ramadan we had Eid It is a special time for Muslim people especially in Afghanistan because we have a special culture and in these days we have special programs, when we are celebrating these days in special methods and special ways based on our culture, but I didn’t do anything here because I don’t have my people here– we don’t have those cultures, we don’t have those facilities so I miss everything but the mostly I miss my siblings who are living in Pakistan and waiting to come to the U.S.
Question #7: What was it like getting to America / how did you get here?
Yah, I came to the US recently, there are many different ways to get to the US, for Afghans they have special programs. Those who worked for the American government got special status. I waited around 3 years and in 2023 I got the approval for humanitarian parole and I flew to the U.S.and was authorized for 2 years to stay in the U.S. and work here and during these two years I can apply for other kinds of immigration status like asylum or whatever.
* Name changed