Name: Ali Seyar Ahmadi

Profile: Hazara Refugee from Afghanistan, living in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, diploma degree in IT, Fluent English, speaking and writing, trained martial arts for around 8 years, including 3 belts from Muay Thai, experienced English teacher and computer basic programmes (windows. Office package, Adobe photoshop, hardware), can understand and speak 4 languages, and experience in sales

Risk: at risk of being caught and killed by the Taliban if return Afghanistan.

Ali Seyar has 5 Canadian sponsors who live in Toronto, Canada. They are fundraising to cover the cost of his first year in Canada. Please donate here if you can.

After Taliban murdered Al Seyar’s father, he was the next target. The Taliban disagreed with Ali Seyar’s job supporting Afghan forces, and his father had paid for it with his life. Ali Seyar had no choice but to leave his home, family, brothers, sisters and his beloved mom in order to save his own life.

Ali Seyar has been waiting for 8 years for a chance to thrive in a country where he has basic human rights – a country like Canada. He is ready to start his life. He dreams of the contributions he will make to Canada as a free person. Ali Seyar has a generous donor who is able to provide $8,500 CDN towards the $16,500 needed for sponsorship - the remaining can be provided in the form of free housing. He just needs 5 Canadian friends to sponsor him.

A Love of Education

Ali Seyar Ahmadi was born in 1993 to an ordinary Hazara family in a village in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan. Hazaras are a minority group with different beliefs than the Taliban, subjecting them to systematic attempts of ethnic cleansing in Afghanistan.

“I was born in flame of war, and land of danger which stalked me for most of my life time. Reason: my family is belonged to the Hazara ethnic group and Shia sect, which in Afghanistan made us target for persecution and brutality.”

Despite that, Ali Seyar had dreams. He was passionate about learning and sharing knowledge. He finished high school graduation (12^th class) and joined English classes, earning his English certificate in 2007. He also joined computer classes and studied basic computer software and hardware. After Ali Seyar finished high school, he joined a one-year IT diploma in private university.

“I joined Martial art to maintain my health and brain, which I did around 5 years kick boxing and after that the system of kick boxing changed to Mauy Thai (Thai version). I have 3 belts from Muay Thai.”

His Father’s Murder

His family’s financial problems meant that Ali Seyar could not continue his studies any further. He searched for a job to help support his parents and siblings. In 2010, he was offered a job with an American company as a generator mechanic. It was a job with a good salary, so he accepted. Since he was helping the Afghan national army forces, it had to be a secret. He moved away from his village to help the American and Afghan national army, working for 3 and half years.

“No one knew about my job except my family, I do not know how the Taliban got info about my job.”

His Dad called to say he had received some letters from Taliban warning that Ali Seyar must quit his job. 18 days later, the unthinkable happened.

“I received a call from my mom in the early morning and she said last night the Taliban came to our home and took my father with them and after some hours they brought back his dead body to our home and they told to my mom if we catch your son, his punishment is same like his father.”

On the Run

Ali Seyar was shocked and devasted by the news. Even worse, his Mom begged him to flee from Afghanistan. The Taliban had murdered his Dad as a brutal lesson – and Ali Seyar would be next.

“Then I noticed my mom is crying behind the call and asking me; please to run away from Afghanistan. It was one of hardest and heaviest decision for me and my mom to leave them alone there and became obligated to abandon my homeland with my whole family.

I was immersed in deep fear of being caught and being tortured and murdered by them and from other side I was feeling guilty because what happened to my father all was because of me, if I did not start working there, it would not been happen to my father.”

Ali Seyar’s employers learned about what had happened and wanted to help. They paid his salary with some extra money. First, he fled to Peshawar and hid for around 9 months. His mom begged him to leave Afghanistan and live a place where he can be safe.

“That was the hardest ever decision to really go somewhere unknown destination and leave my whole family, relatives, motherland, childhood memories, friends and the special one of my life (mom), from other side there was not a second chance for me if I wanted be alive for sake of my mom and family.”

Escape to Indonesia

Ali Seyar had no choice but to abandon everything and seek asylum and safety - where he could be free of nightmares, discrimination, cruelty, persecution and injustice. He travelled from India to Malaysia. He left Malaysia for Indonesia by boat. It was a terrifying 5 hour journey.

A New Prison

After Ali Seyar arrived in Bogor, he registered with the United Nation for High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Life in Indonesia was not easy. The government offered no assistance. He lived on the street until he was brought to a detention centre. He didn’t know it would be 3 long years before he felt freedom again.

“Life passed so hard and tough there, the reason: we were living worse than a criminal who commits a big crime - at least the criminal knows when they will be released and what was their crime.”

The detention centre was for 150 person but housed 320 people.

“We did hunger strikes, demonstration and protests for our basic rights, that finally I got my freedom in December of 2017, also should mention that I was among the first group of people which got into that Camp (detention centre) on 23/Sep/2014.”

Life outside of Detention Centre

Ali Seyar was transferred to IOM accommodations in Tangerang city.

“Life in here also has its challenges and difficulties, because we still don’t have our human basic rights - can’t work, can’t study, can’t travel anywhere, even can’t buy a phone simcard.”

Ali Seyar has been waiting for 8 years for a chance to thrive in a country where he has basic human rights – a country like Canada.

"This condition took more than 8 years of my life without having any human being rights, and faced too much hardship and difficulties that can not be explain in words.”

I have joined some IOM online classes and have two certificates in video editing and 3D printing also I am studying some computer programmes by watching YouTube teaches.

For maintain my health and releasing from depression and stress I do regularly 2-3 hours sport, but still I have gotten much stress and deep depression in this limbo."

Ali Seyar’s Hope in his Words

My wish and dream is to start my life again in a country where that I can escape from discrimination, cruelty and injustice and be free of nightmares and threats. A place where my voice can be heard and not be again under persecution and torture.

I think and aim that I can bring many initiative and positive changes to a country that gives me the chance for life.

Canada is a place for me where that humanity is cherished and human rights are equally shared to everyone, regardless of who are they and where were they belong, and I am sure it will happen by your help and kindness.

Thanks in advance for all of those who do their best for human rights and defending from their rights in anywhere without seeing race, religion and borders.

The Opportunity

As a UNHCR refugee, Ali Seyar is eligible for Canada’s private sponsorship program.

Ali Seyar has 5 Canadian sponsors who live in Toronto, Canada. They are fundraising to cover the cost of his first year in Canada. Please donate here if you can.

You can also reach out to Ali Seyar through Facebook - where he is Ali Seyar - or by email.

We know many refugees who are looking for Canadian sponsors. Some require zero fundraising. If you would like to learn more about this wonderful way to help, please reach out to to our team at Hazara Hope: https://sites.google.com/view/hazarahope/profiles