Supporting refugees through the Afghanistan crisis

27 September 2021

The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association work with Afghans and Central Asians living away from their homeland, providing them with support, skills and knowledge to live and prosper in the UK.

Their wide range of services includes English language classes, employment workshops, a women’s support group, a Saturday school and homework club, youth and family support services, drop-in and telephone advice, volunteer placements, and cultural and social events. They provide outreach and visits to individuals and families in detention. Take a look at their website.

We recently received this letter from them, and you might consider supporting them with an appeal at your church:

Dear Friends,

I hope you are well.

You might be aware that the Afghanistan & Central Asian Association has been working tirelessly to support Afghans in the UK pleading for assistance with bringing families targeted by Taliban over to the UK. Since the crisis we have become the first contact point for the government, media and the newly-arrived Afghan people. We are now extremely busy with unprecedented levels of demand. For the last 20 days, 600 people have been coming to our office everyday queuing from 5am. We have become like Kabul Airport. We have also distributed and delivered 2 40ft containers of donations to newly-arrived refugees in hotels across the UK. We are still open for donations.

These people have faced immense trauma and horrific experiences, and require as much support as possible to feel welcome in British society. The main priorities are supporting their resettlement/integration into UK life, ESOL classes, social and cultural events, mental health and counselling support, employment advice, legal advice, educational and sports activities for young people, mentoring support and a women’s group.

So far BBC Children has donated £20,000, City Bridge £39,000, Tudor Trusts £30,000 towards our emergency work, and other funds have invited us to submit applications.

Here is our Crowdfunder Link: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/afghancrisisfund

The demand for our services has increased so much and we can’t cope with the high demand without building the capacity through recruiting and employing more staff.

There are hundreds of people still coming to our centre everyday asking for advice on housing and immigration and other councils across the UK asking for help to establish our services in their cities. We are severely over-stretched. We are a small charity and cannot cope with the level of demand since the crisis started in Afghanistan without the support of the governments.

We would welcome an opportunity to work with you to support newly-arrived people who are coming to the UK through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy as a matter of urgency.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi
Founder and Director
Afghanistan & Central Asian Association