To the Editor:
It was an remarkable plan that introduced Ziaulhaq Zia and other Muslim higher schoolers to Bennington from their households all around the planet. For quite a few several years pupils arrived from Afghanistan, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Kosovo, Tunisia and other nations around the world to commit a calendar year attending Mount Anthony Substantial School and many others in the United States.
Zia and others grew to become ambassadors for their homelands not only among the the significant college college students, they spoke publicly at local community situations. We realized so a lot from them!
Soon after Zia returned to Afghanistan he participated in a different U.S. State Office system and been given education and specialized support in getting a “citizen journalist.” We stayed in contact that yr and uncovered about what he was doing as well as about protection issues in Kabul and elsewhere. An uncle of his died in a Taliban bombing where he labored.
The subsequent summer Zia was able to attend a convention in New York Town and Vermont, taking put in two web-sites. He experienced resolved to consider to stay and he requested us to aid him continue being. We helped, he lived once again with us and was capable to go to MAUHS for his senior superior faculty yr and graduated in 2012.
Zia then moved to dwell close to his cousins in Richmond, Virginia, wherever he labored and attended college or university part time. He later moved to North Dakota and Minnesota functioning in a chain of motor vehicle dealerships. We have stayed in contact and had been capable to take a look at him in Minneapolis.
Zia has labored really hard to earn “the American Dream.” Via these a long time we have viewed him understand about enterprise, shift to acquire edge of possibilities, acquire U.S. asylum, a Inexperienced Card and operate to get his youngest sibling, a sister, to Minnesota where she is now attending substantial college. He’s retained his eye on his targets of accomplishing a great lifetime, having a vocation and being responsible to his beloved types.
His family members has continued to undergo in Afghanistan, and they’ve had to initially shift from their village to Kunduz Metropolis when the Taliban ended up energetic in the countryside and then they had to shift to the village from Kunduz City when the Taliban not long ago took over handle of the nation.
Many users of Zia’s family have been at danger considering the fact that the 1990s owing to religious persecution, corruption of community governments by the Taliban, by it becoming regarded that a relatives member is in the United states and by prejudice in opposition to their ethnic team, the Hazaras.
The spouse and children fled to Kabul and then fled to the border with Pakistan. They are striving to cross and until they get across the very last checkpoint, they are nonetheless in grave hazard. Zia is operating with attorneys right here to get his loved ones via the paperwork that is necessary to immigrate to the United States and we’re hopeful that we can increase money to support them with the expenditures included in receiving in this article. We’re setting up a GoFundMe internet site that will be referred to as Supporting Our Afghan Good friend.
It’s obvious to me that this household has a remarkable son and the push he’s experienced to do well these very last 12 decades is a credit score to him and to them. It’s been inspiring to know him and it’s been terrifying understanding about the troubles he and his spouse and children have faced.
Jeanne Davis
Bruce Wheat
Pownal