Sunday, February 13, 2022

Journey's end for my Afghan friend

Last Sunday, my Afghan friend Samira and her family flew from Islamabad, through Abu Dhabi and Rome, to Turin. Samira has been offered a one-year research project at the University of Turin. They are now finishing up their 10-day covid quarantine in an airbnb. They have been welcomed by the academic community and she is very glad and grateful to have arrived in a safe place to begin a new life for her family. 

This was Samira's first Facebook post when she arrived in Italy.


I Never Give Up!

Maybe sometimes I will be disappointed, maybe I will be tired, but I will not give up!
In addition to working as Ph.D. scholar on the "political system of Afghanistan", in these difficult circumstances, my efforts became not less but more.
I won a research project “Asylum System and University Experience: The Role of the Mentoring Project in the Political Socialization Processes of the Afghan Refugee Community in Italy”.
I hope I can be useful for my country ,and all the friends who supported me, especially Professor Simona Taliani, my good colleague at the University of Turin, Italy, Ruth and Linda, my good friends who were with me during all the difficult days.
Good Days Will Come Soon!


Last week I sent two international wire transfers. The first was for the family's airfare, donated by my friend Jan and her partner Jack. The second was for lodging and living expenses for two months until Samira's first paycheck arrives. 21 people donated $8,000! I am so grateful.

We are all in this together. I still believe it.

5 comments:

Linda Reeder said...

Such good news! All who helped to make this happen are to be congratulated, and more importantly, thanked,

Joanne Noragon said...

Well done, all.

Tom said...

Wish her the best of luck in Italy. Maybe some day she'll come to the U. S., we need people like her!

DJan said...

So glad to hear it's all working out for her.You are such a good friend to her! :-)

Friko said...

It's wonderful that there are kind people in this world and that sometimes things work out.
Well done Linda.