Page 7 - Our Hands Spring Summer2022

ONE FAMILY'S
NEW AMERICANS

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“The city of Detroit
has seen a lot of
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DETOW K DETO E This story is an excerpt of a longer narrative. The family members’ names were changed to protect their identities.
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By Fatima Mirza, an Afghan Refugee
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rom the safety of his wife, three sons, five US and Europe. Shuja, their
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encouraging."

their hotel room in daughters, son-in-law, 2-year- eldest son, worked with the
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DETOW K DETO d i v s e o t o r p s d a n E “My mom and

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Detroit, Asifuddin old grandson, nephew, American Embassy for years
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started to occur, we knew O K FMirza, patriarch and niece. Fatima is his in IT, and he has several
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we had to respond — and of his family of fourteen eldest daughter and mother degrees and expertise in that girls don’t
respond boldly and G K people, shared a quiet of Asifuddin and Faiza’s computer science. Shaen,
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quickly,” have power.
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D Afghan Refugee K morning’s observation with grandson. their youngest, was a lecturer
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Samaritas CAO his spouse Faiza Mirza. Faiza at a government university. For them,
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had pulled back the curtains
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DETOW K T K Mirza house was full of However, the Mirza family education
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and noticed the morning’s
sunrise, realizing that before
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O G N T E E children. The house and its realized that their lives were and power go
irst Lady of Detroit, Dr. Sonia Hassan and Kelli Dobner, Chief Advancement Officer for Samaritas, are leading too long, it would be Spring. accompanying garden were in danger with the Taliban together."
The Detroit Refugee Network, a partnership with the City of Detroit, CARE USA, U.S. Committee for Refugees Spring, in a year where a bought and paid for by hard coming to power. Their
Fand Immigrants, Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan and Samaritas. The Network offers refugees a full difficult Summer led to a work – Asifuddin had been connections to the West,
range of services, including housing and utility assistance and employment services. It will focus on the following to dark Fall and then into a a banker for twenty years. their education, and the
help refugees thrive in Detroit: very dark Winter. A Spring Asifuddin and Faiza believed conditions that the family’s
Immediate placement in affordable permanent housing Transportation that means Summer is that boys and girls should daughters would face under
be equally educated. Fatima
a government that supports
on the road to homeownership coming, and with it close
Cultural and social education to a year of transition that explains, child marriage and is
Basic needs, safety, and legal services vehemently against women’s
Education and school integration Faiza and her family have “My mom and dad don’t believe education made them highly
Access to health care and family wellness experienced that has led to that girls don’t have power. For
Faith community partners. them starting their lives over them, education and power go visible targets.
Employment programs on the opposite side of the together." Shaen’s university suffered
Detroit’s First Lady, Sonia Hassan, MD, serves as volunteer co-chair of the Detroit Refugee world from their home. multiple bomb attacks
Network. “As the daughter of Egyptian immigrants, I have witnessed how my parents’ drive, Asifuddin is the head of Asifuddin and Faiza raised last summer leading up to
passion, and determination led to the American dream after starting from nothing,” Dr. all of their children to be August. Shuja’s position
Hassan said. “The Detroit Refugee Network is helping families to embark on new lives in the an Afghan family who responsible for themselves with the American embassy
City of Detroit. I am deeply committed and honored to be a part of this cause.” fled to the US to escape and hard-working citizens of made it likely that his life
the cruel regime of the their own country. Fatima,
Billed as an effort between the civic and business communities, the Detroit Refugee Taliban; unintentionally, their oldest child and would be in immediate
Network has secured funding from Atlanta-based CARE USA ($50,000) for cash payments unexpectedly, and with danger once the US
of up to $1,000, and an in-kind donation of $750,000 from Detroit-based Rocket considerable obstacles daughter, is a well-respected presence ended.
Community Fund, which will have seven employees embedded within Samaritas as part of university professor who
Detroit’s First Lady, to overcome. He is in worked with international
Sonia Hassan, MD the Detroit Refugee Network focusing on workforce support. temporary housing with organizations based in the
“Our aim is to place over 250 individuals in Detroit, more than in any other single city in Michigan,” said Kelli Dobner,
co-chair of the Detroit Refugee Network. “We know this will be a welcoming city for them.” Read the full story on Samaritas.org.
The Detroit Refugee Network is a coalition of corporate, civic and community leaders coming together to welcome For more information on how you can support Afghan Refugees,
refugees into our community. For more information about how you or your company can be a part of the network,
Visit Samaritas.org/DetroitRefugeeNetwork for more information on how you can get involded. visit Samaritas.org/Refugee-Crisis
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