Help us save the lives of targeted women in Afghanistan

After the 31st of August, the West’s evacuation of their citizens and Afghan allies came to an end. There are still thousands of men and women who worked for the government of Afghanistan alongside NATO forces and NGOs who are left behind. Their lives are at high risk, especially the women. Many have already received threats from the Taliban. Even families of those who have worked with the international forces or NGOs at any point in the past 20 years are being killed. We know that it is impossible to help every single one, but we want to do our best to help as many as possible. To succeed in our mission, we need your support! We at Omid International have launched a campaign to raise funds to urgently evacuate 300 Afghan women and young girls who are at the greatest risk.

Evacuees

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Evacuee Video 1

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Evacuee Video 2

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Laila

Laila is one of the Afghan women who is currently in hiding.

Laila is an architect by profession. She has worked with a number of international NGOs and has been a public servant for the past 5 years. Laila says through her work she been able to buy a house and pay towards tuition fee for her daughters to study English, "if you knew English you could almost get any job in Afghanistan, but now knowing English can be a risk to ones life" says Laila.

Laila has four daughters aged 12, 13, 16 and 17 and a 7 year old son. She fled from her home because of her daughters. She says "The Taliban were searching homes and taking young girls to marry them by force to their soldiers and call it Jihad-al-Nikah. I was already traumatized by the Taliban's announcements about Jihad-al-Nikah in mosques in Takhar, Badakhshan, Kuduz and Qalaizal district where they were asking local mullahs [Mosque preachers] to create a list of widows and young girls; but after finding out about my niece [who was taken by the Taliban] I quickly asked my eldest daughter, Nadia, to pack a few things for herself and her sisters and we left that evening".

Laila's husband and son stayed behind to look after their belongings.

Laila is now staying at a distant relatives house in another part of Afghanistan where the local do not know her. She says some of the locals in her home town had joined the Taliban and "to get their names in the good books they would be the first ones to provide information to the real Taliban".

It has been a month and half since Laila has seen her 7-year-old son. She says "I miss him so much, but my fear for my daughters is greater. I have not let them out of the house since we have come here. I am scared if they leave the Taliban might take them away from me. They are so young, they have ambitions, they have dreams to go to university, get a good job, live a happy life and I am worried if that will ever be possible".

What money Laila had was used to relocate her daughters and for a few weeks food. The relatives have been helping her so far, but Laila says they hardly have enough for themselves and not for long.

This story is not unique, like Laila we have heard from many other women who are facing a similar threat from the Taliban, We have identified a list of 300 women who are at grave risk and need to be helped to leave the country. Join us in helping them get to a safe location.