The Cryy Out Christian Fellowship in San Jose has been distributing free food to the local community, including Afghan political refugees. They collaborated with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley during the pandemic to provide weekly groceries. These refugees, who previously assisted U.S. forces in Afghanistan, were relocated to the U.S. after the Taliban’s takeover. Cryy Out has found ways to communicate with clients despite language barriers, using hand signals and visual checklists.
Among the refugees are individuals who risked their lives assisting U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Aimal, an interpreter, fought alongside Americans, while Dilawar faced Taliban ambushes working at the base. After studying civil engineering in India, Dilawar returned to a Taliban-controlled Afghanistan with no job prospects. Najla’s husband, an electrical engineer, worked with U.S. forces in defense logistics. All three escaped to the U.S. as political refugees.
Adjusting to life in the U.S. has been difficult for these refugees. Aimal, in the U.S. for five months, recently found a job and moved into a house with his family. He was relieved to find a food distribution center nearby. Dilawar, despite his degree, has struggled to find work due to lack of transportation and local experience. His degree is not accepted without a California engineering license and two years of local experience, leading to feelings of hopelessness.