Secret scheme for Afghans to evacuate to UK after MoD data breach
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ITV News
15-07-2025
- ITV News
Secret scheme for Afghans to evacuate to UK after MoD data breach
The personal information of nearly 19,000 people who applied for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) was released "in error" in 2022.
Metro
21-06-2025
- Metro
My mother's words as I fled my homeland ring in my ears
I'll never forget the last thing my mother told my husband, Zakirullah, before we had to say goodbye. 'Fatemah is my amânat to you, take care of her.' Amânat is a Dari word that essentially translates to: 'A gift you entrust someone with.' She said this as floods of tears streamed down my face. I didn't want to leave her – or my three younger siblings – but Zakir and I had no choice. Within two weeks, Kabul fell to the Taliban and my whole world shattered. I was born and raised in the west of Afghanistan in a city called Herāt. Devastatingly, my father was killed by the Taliban when I was just six years old, leaving my mother to raise me, my younger brother, and two younger sisters. Despite this, I was always encouraged to dream big. That's why, after university in 2013, I decided to study a master's degree in Kabul, which is on the other side of the country. From there, I worked for the British Council, where I was in charge of the child protection department and various programs within schools and higher education. Zakir and I met in 2015 for the first time. I delivered a training in one of the orphanages in Kabul, and he was working there. I think God had already decided for us. We met each other by chance at one of the institutes again, and there we started talking, sharing job opportunities and study plans. I realised we were similar in many ways, but different in others. I liked that he was smart, educated, and caring. But his family is quite conservative, so the women in his family didn't get an education or a job. He has always been so supportive of me and my dreams though. Refugee Week is the world's largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking safety. Each year, IMIX – a charity that helps change the way people think and talk about migration – supports Refugee Week Ambassadors. These are people, like Fatemah, who came to the UK to rebuild their lives and who now play an important part in our communities. IMIX is proud to work with Metro as a trusted partner in highlighting these voices and shining a light on the many ways refugees help make the UK a better place for everyone. You can read Dorsa's story below I hugged my dad to hide the terrifying truth We got engaged in 2016 and were married a year later. We were thrilled to welcome our two sons in 2018 and 2020. After that, our lives felt settled and comfortable. In fact, Zakir and I were doing so well (he was working with the US government by that point) that we managed to rent a home in Kabul and were able to help move my mother, sisters, and brother from Herāt to be near us. It was worlds away from how we both grew up. We were all so happy. Then, in April 2021, we saw terrifying headlines that NATO allies were going to start withdrawing from the country, which would effectively hand it over to the Taliban. Within a month of that, Zakir heard about the UK's Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme, which helps relocate Afghans who worked with the UK to get them out of the country. I was eligible because I had worked at the UK Ministry of Defence and the British Embassy, as well as various international organisations over the years, which would almost certainly put me in grave danger. My husband decided to apply for us and it was all approved by July. Of course, we felt relieved at the idea of escaping to safety, but it was heartbreaking to realise we couldn't bring anyone with us besides our two boys. Breaking the news to our families was incredibly tough. We didn't know when – or if – we would see them again and I was so scared that my work would put my family in danger. That's when I had the emotional moment saying goodbye to my mother and siblings. Her words were still ringing in my ears as we boarded the plane heading to the UK on August 3 – a country I'd never been to before. We arrived in Manchester and were placed in hotel quarantine for seven days due to the pandemic. We were moved from hotel to hotel across the country until we finally secured permanent accommodation in south-east London. Thankfully, both my husband and I were able to continue working, but this wasn't easy while juggling trying to get our sons settled and adjusting to school. I have since completed another master's degree and I work for the British Council again after a career break, while my husband secured a job at Queen Mary University. As for my siblings and mother, they were forced to flee their homes repeatedly to avoid detection from the Taliban until we managed to secure visas for them in Pakistan by the end of 2021. Thankfully, my mother, brother, and sisters secured visas again – this time to Australia – by the year after, where they still are today. Throughout it all, it's been incredibly difficult to be away from them. Of course, we regularly talk but I haven't seen my siblings now for almost four years. I feel quite lucky to be able to say that I met with my mother in Germany last August for the first time since being separated. The moment I saw her, I broke down in tears – I was so happy. Remarkably, my eldest son – who was around three when he last saw his grandmother – remembered her. In fact, he was so overwhelmed with joy at being reunited that he cried himself to sleep on her shoulder. Unfortunately, we only managed to spend two weeks together in Germany before she had to go back to Australia and me to the UK. Ever since, my eldest son still asks when we're all going to be properly united. Of course, I want that to happen, but they're all so tired of starting over again and again. For that reason, I don't know what the future holds for us all. For now, I'm concentrating on building a life for my sons in the UK. Part of that is trying to be a role model, which is why I'm an ambassador for the charity City of Sanctuary, as well as involved with Refugee Week. More Trending At the end of the day, I want people in the UK to realise that we're real humans with real stories. We miss our homeland a lot, and we came here as we had to, not because we wanted to. My story is not yet finished. But at least we still have the greatest amânat of all – our lives. As told to James Besanvalle Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: I went to Glastonbury and discovered it's just really overrated MORE: I'm allowed to date other women – my partner isn't MORE: How I stopped feeling insecure when my partner didn't orgasm
BBC News
11-12-2024
- BBC News
Groups rally to help Afghans stuck at military base
Community groups have stepped in to help Afghan families who have spent months living at a military base in former Afghan soldiers and their families have been given sanctuary because their work for UK forces during the war puts them at risk of some families have been at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) base for a year, accessing work or education is difficult because families can be allocated a house anywhere in the country at short notice. Now the local NHS is working with groups to organise activities to address a decline in the group's mental health caused by the uncertainty and isolation. The families arrived under the the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) for Afghan citizens who worked for or with the UK Government in week the group gathered at Fearon Hall, a community centre in Loughborough, to thank some of the community groups who have helped them. Sarah Jones, from Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust's mental health team said she had noticed the mental health of the group declining over time. 'People can go to work and volunteer but it's challenging to get out to different activities," she said."Due to housing issues people have been there [at the base] a lot longer. "Anxiety depression trauma, and post traumatic stress disorder are some of the challenges they face.''Some of the ladies haven't been able to cook for 10 months so to be able to cook their own food and have the radio on, and their music and singing and dancing, it makes you realise what we take for granted." Marina, 14, has been at the base for a year but is getting involved with English lessons, textiles, therapy and sport. "My mum and dad are bored but I'm happy - I have sports and I have my friends," she not being allocated a house yet, Marina is due to start school next week and has also enjoyed playing McSharry, from Leicester City in the Community, a charitable arm of Leicester City, said: "We deliver weekly activities on site and some trips to the King Power Stadium and our training ground in Seagrave.' "We took them to the training ground last week and they were helping us to plant some seeds to grow some vegetables which hopefully the players will eat as well." Despite spending eight months at the MoD base, 22-year-old Maryam said was happy to be safe after a traumatic time leaving her homeland."Although we are not in a house it gives us a sense of hope that in the near future we will have our own house and access education and working, which women back in Afghanistan are not allowed at the moment," she said."My dream is for medication education. I would do something for the community as a doctor and when I return to home I can do something for my own people as well."
