Bay Area organizations help settle Afghan refugees

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) -- Thousands of refugees have already left Afghanistan and some of them are ending up in the Bay Area.

KRON4's Maureen Kelly talked to one man who is trying to settle in, while still worrying about his family back in his homeland.

"You were in danger. We will kill you because you're working with a foreigner and people that are enemy of Taliban and Afghanistan."

That's the message Ferozudin Kohlistani says he heard loud and clear from the Taliban. Here's his picture when he worked alongside the U.S. Army at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul. It's also why he and wife got special visas to flee the country just days before the capitol city fell.

Now he continues to worry about the safety of other family members he's trying to get out.

"I'm in a safe place but my mind is don't worry, I'm looking for my younger brother, I'm looking for my younger brother, my younger sister, also my family."

Kohlistani is one of 43 people that the Jewish family and community services has helped resettle so far. He and his wife are staying with a relative for now, and they are having trouble finding their own place. 

"The biggest need we have right now is housing," Jordane Tofighi said. "It is a critical need in the Bay Area."

Tofighi is the director of the Oakland chapter of the International Rescue Committee, which since August has helped another 39 refugees and more are on the way.

As to how people here can help:

"They can donate to our soft landing fun it's a fun day goes directly to rental assistance for families let us know if there are landlords out there that are going to understand the experiences of refugees coming in with no credit history now I'm climbing references and being well and to except it able to except them on the lease them on a lease."

Kohlistani says he and wife plan to stay in the bay area and once they've found a permanent place of their own he'd like to continue his studies in law, and with the goal of helping guide other Afghani refugees like himself.

from KRON4 https://ift.tt/3Bi2akC