Name: Asif Rezaie

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, experienced truck driver, singer, musician FULLY FUNDED

Risk: At risk of being tortured and killed by the Taliban if returned home.

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Asif Rezaie, a Hazara truck driver in Afghanistan, was trapped by a Pashtun smuggler, and he was compelled to leave Afghanistan immediately to save his life. Luckily, he succeeded to flee to Indonesia by boat in 2014.

While living in Limbo, he learned some instruments and singing skills. His hope now is to be helped by a group of 5 friends who can bring him to Canada where he can become a truck driver, support his family and help society.

His Story

Asif Rezaie was born in January 1990, in a village in Jaghori district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan. Asif Rezaie had a Mazda truck, and his job was to transfer people’s goods within the villages of the Jaghori. He had some Pashtun customers as well.

In 2013, It was before winter, and people were buying woods and other goods to survive in the winter. Asif Rezaie delivered some goods from the village Baba to another Pashtun village Laaghar Zameen. From there, he delivered another load back to a warehouse in the village Baba.

The Incident That Made Him Flee

While his truck was being unloaded, he went to a restaurant where his cousin, who had a shop in Baba, contacted him and gave him the unexpected news.

“I heard from my cousin that the police had raided on the warehouse and had found drugs and explosives from there and from my truck. Now the police had been looking for me. I was trembling with fear”

Asif Rezaie had been unaware of those drugs and explosives which were put among other goods. He was put in a situation where he was not able to prove his innocence. He knew that he would be killed by the people of Jaghori or the Taliban if he was captured by any of them. So, he fled to Quetta, Pakistan in October 2013.

His Way to Indonesia

While living in Quetta without legal documents, Asif Rezaie did not have the right to work and support himself. On the other hand, he was not safe there as well because the Hazara people in Quetta have been targeted by the extremist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Asif Rezaie arranged for a people smuggler, and on March 29, 2014, he flew to Thailand and stayed there for 2 days. From there, he flew to Malaysia where he stayed for 2 days. On April 2, 2014, he arrived in Medan, Indonesia by boat.

Life In Limbo

After arriving in Jakarta, he registered himself at the UNHCR office on April 7, 2014, and started living in Bogor. On March 4, 2016, he got his refugee recognition from the UNHCR.

“I was so happy and I was hoping to be resettled by the UNHCR soon. But I have been waiting and will have to wait for an uncertain time.”

His Passion

In Indonesia, Asif Rezaie learned playing Dambora (a musical string instrument), harmony, and singing skills. His hope is to be a truck driver in the future.

As a UNHCR refugee, Asif Rezaie is eligible for Canada’s private sponsorship program.

To help support Asif Rezaie as a sponsor, please contact Stephen Watt on Facebook.

You can also reach out to Asif Rezaie directly on Facebook.

Reach out and discover how wonderful it is to privately sponsor a good person to start a new life – with your help – in Canada!

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