Why I Volunteer

By Ahmad Farid Noori

I am an Afghan national who was evacuated to the United States in August 2021 due to the collapse of my home country, Afghanistan. This collapse wasn’t just the fall of a nation; it was the shattering of the hopes and dreams of its people. When Afghanistan fell, we lost our hopes, dreams, family, friends, network, and community. We were forced to flee because of the dangers my family and I faced due to our involvement in political and social activism. My family had close ties with the U.S. government and military. My father, Major General Shahjahan Noori, served as the chief of police in three different provinces in Afghanistan and worked alongside the U.S. military. He was committed to defending the people, supporting the government, and aiding the U.S. mission in Afghanistan until his assassination in March 2011. Other members of my family also worked closely with the U.S. government and military.

We left Afghanistan on August 25, 2021, and spent about six months at an army base in Wisconsin before resettling in Virginia. The journey was difficult and challenging. However, after connecting with RILA, we were able to stay in the United States legally and continue working. RILA assisted my family and me with our asylum application from start to finish. They didn’t just support us; they helped many other families who had evacuated and crossed borders with no other resources for help. After resettling and beginning a new life in the United States, I decided to volunteer so I could give back to the community and to RILA for their invaluable support.