An Afghan refugee family is feeling safe and secure in Richmond — but they are still worried about their friends and family back home.
Barak and Manima (names changed) settled into a hotel in Richmond after a harrowing journey out of Afghanistan — in the wake of the Taliban taking over as American forces pulled out — and a two-month wait in Toronto.
Now, in Richmond, they’re waiting to find permanent housing in the Lower Mainland and start their new lives in Canada.
The couple fled Afghanistan in late August, as their family had ties to the Canadian Armed Forces and they knew they’d be a target for the new regime.
Barak and Manima lost their home in Kandahar and made their way to Kabul – moving from place to place so they couldn’t be found.
As tensions mounted, they went to the crowded Kabul airport to try to get out.
Finally, on Aug. 25, they made it through the security gates and Barak showed a message from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada that they were permitted to go to Canada. With that, they boarded a flight out of the country.
They arrived in Toronto on Aug. 29 and were settled in Richmond in late October.
Barak’s family is spread out across Canada, the United States, Germany and India.
But Manima is worried about her father, who is still stuck in Afghanistan. She’s been trying to get him an exit visa to Pakistan so he could join her in Canada, but these are now only available on the black market at highly inflated prices.
Furthermore, the winter is getting cold in Afghanistan and money and work are scarce as the U.S. has frozen the country’s assets. Barak and Manima are hearing stories of friends back home living in fear of being jailed or killed.
“My wish is Richmond people — all Canadian people — as much as you can, help the people of Afghanistan,” Barak said through an interpeter.
When asked whether he felt safe in Canada, Barak replied in the affirmative, largely because, in Afghanistan, one never knew whether a bomb would go off in the street or someone would get attacked.
They are safe in Richmond, he said, and they have everything they need — they’ve even found an Afghan restaurant that makes special Afghani bread.
But a high priority for Barak and Manima is that their children have a good future ahead of them in Canada.
No homes in Richmond for refugees
While many Afghan refugees have had their first landing spot in Richmond — up to 100 at a time staying at a local hotel — Chris Friesen, chief operating officer of Immigrant Settlement Services of BC (ISSBC), pointed out none of them have found a permanent home in Richmond.
There is “absolutely” a need for more affordable housing in Richmond including for refugees, he added.
The agency has been able to place 85 per cent in permanent housing, but the majority, 55 per cent, settle in Surrey while others have found homes in Burnaby, Vancouver and Coquitlam. Two families — with 15 people among them — have even found homes in Delta.
The “ironic saving grace” of the pandemic has been that there’s more rental housing available because there is less immigration and fewer international students competing for homes, Friesen said.
“That’s one of the factors that’s influenced our ability to house 85 per cent of Afghan refugees,” he added.
But refugees are expected to keep flowing into Canada over the next few years and Friesen doesn’t see any relief in sight as far as housing is concerned.
Waiting at a hotel, refugees get food from the food bank and government assistance. But it isn’t until they have a permanent address that kids go to school, and parents can take language lessons and integrate into Canadian society.
“Everything kicks in when they get permanent housing,” Friesen said.
For anyone wanting to support Afghan refugees, ISSBC is doing a “Welcome to B.C.” gift card campaign. The agency is also collecting funds from the public to help privately sponsor Afghan refugees to come to Canada.
“With every Afghan who’s come (to Canada), it’s probably safe to say there are two other family members who would like to be united (with them),” Friesen said. To donate, go to issbc.org and click on the “Donate” button.
