World Refugee Day - Finding hope away from home

For World Refugee Day, which this year has a theme of “hope away from home” we are proud to have a guest blogger, a young female journalist originally from Afghanistan, Arizo. This is her story of trying to find hope away from home. 

On the morning of August 15, 2021, I woke up to a typical day. I dressed and got ready to go to work. Suddenly, I heard about the Taliban takeover in my home city of Kabul, Afghanistan. I understood that this Taliban was no different than the Taliban two decades ago.

I was filled with dread, as I knew it was just a matter of time before they started inhibiting women's rights, closing schools for women, and prohibiting them from their respective jobs. Afghans are now stuck under oppression, fear of the Taliban, and starvation. The Taliban's fundamental idea of living violates the very base of humanity and human rights.

My mother and I had a plan of action to go to Mazar (one of the cities in Afghanistan) to fly out. We waited 45 days for a flight, but the Taliban didn’t allow us to leave. I lost my hope and decided to go back to Kabul. The day I planned to go back; I received a call that said we can go to the airport. My mother and I caught a flight to Abu Dhabi.

After spending 100 days in a humanitarian camp, with the help of the government of Ireland, my mother and I came to Ireland.

After a month I moved to Dublin to live with my lovely and friendly host family. I was living with them until last month (a year) to learn English and find my way. They helped me with the government paperwork and showed me my next steps.

In this one year, I also had my family’s support and all my very kind teachers, and some friends that I’m glad to have around me. Leaving my country with a small backpack to start a new life in a completely different culture is not easy. I feel very unhappy because of the situation in Afghanistan. Having kind people around and receiving kindness is like peace, which I received from people in Ireland. I hope one day I can be able to help other girls around the world who want to continue their education.

I did a journalism level 5 course In Stillorgan and looking forward to starting my next journalism training in September. Currently, I am working on a documentary project called "Path to Inner Peace: Strategies for Finding Harmony and Stability in Your Life"

I’m trying to find a job and follow my dream of finding my way as a journalist in Ireland. I wish in the future that I can help people that live in war. We know firsthand how it feels to be in war.

"We lost our homeland, freedom, and our dearest patriots. Now I dream to prevent those that are the most vulnerable because no one deserves a war."