A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE BY SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND WITH AFGHAN CULTURE

A CALL FOR ASSISTANCE BY SOMEONE WITH EXPERIENCE IN AFGHANISTAN AND WITH AFGHAN CULTURE; via LJB, posted here with his kind ok.

Retired FSO [Foreign Service Officer] Sig Cohen is working with a coalition to assist Afghan refugees adjust to life in the U.S., especially to find employment. Sig writes:

“ … We are looking for an individual who understands how Afghans seek employment, their attitude toward starting a job, and whether there are divisions in their society that we may not appreciate.

We are a seven-member congregational coalition on Capitol Hill that has prepared ten apartments for arriving Afghan families (all with SIV certification). We are also responsible for economically sustaining one family for a year. Our efforts to identify and help them apply for jobs and prepare for interviews have not always succeeded. We’ve also come across subtle differences in how some Afghan families interact with others. They all reside in Riverdale or Cheverly, MD, since the State Dept. will not let them settle in DC. We work with Lutheran Social Services.

We need an individual to acquaint us — volunteers from these congregations who work with these family members — on these roadblocks to settlement.

FYI. Most of these families have only three months to become economically self-sufficient. Some have had to return to Afghanistan for financial reasons, and one member has reportedly been killed after returning.

Our next meeting is Monday, Oct. 9 (yes, I know it’s Columbus Day) at 7 PM at St. Marks Episcopal Church on CapHill. If you [are or could] identify this person, could you pls give him my contact info: Home/office: 202 544-2448; Cell: 202 215-5896.

Please let me know whether you have any questions.”