Name: Ezatullah Yazir

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan living in Indonesia since September 2014

Advantage: UN-certified, Fluent at English language and basic at the French language, Experienced as a chef ,FULLY FUNDING.

Risk: at risk of being caught and killed by the Taliban if returned home.

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Needed: A group of five friends to sponsor him.

Ezatullah, a Hazara boy, worked as a chef in a government’s department, which made him an enemy of the Taliban. When the Taliban came for him at his home, he escaped from the window of his kitchen and then fled to Indonesia by boat in 2014.

While living in a detention centre for three years and facing many difficulties, he didn’t lose hope, instead, he kept learning the English Language and other skills.

His hope now is to find five Canadian friends who can help him start his life again.

His Early Life

Ezatullah was born in 1993, in a village of the Malistan district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan. As a child, he had his father’s unconditional support to get an education, but his father passed away after suffering from an unknown illness.

At the age of 20, he found a job in Ghazni as a chef assistant in a government sector to support his family.

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres due to their culture, religion, and love for education. On the other hand, Ezatullah was working with the government which was more dangerous for him.

Escaped from the Taliban

By the time, his work with the government caught the Taliban’s attention.

In September 2014, he returned to his home, and in the night, he and his family were sleeping when the aggressive sound of knocking on their door woke them in a horrible way.

“When I and my mom looked silently from the corner of our living room’s window, we saw the Taliban at the door. Sensing danger, I escaped through our kitchen’s window to the back of my house.”

Though he was worried about his family he left at home, he kept running from one alley to another.

The next day he reached Kabul, where he immediately called his home and got the news that he was the target and the Taliban came to search for him. When the Taliban couldn’t find him at home, they beat and tortured his family then went back.

“Hearing that news broke my heart into pieces that, my family was tortured by them.”

Ezatullah stayed in Kabul hiddenly and his mother borrowed and longed for money to send her son to a safe place.

Note: all provinces of Afghanistan due to unstable security and influence of the Taliban is not safe and more than half of Afghanistan is ruled by the Taliban.

The Way to Indonesia

On September 16, he flew to New Delhi, India and stayed there for almost 20 days, then he flew to Malaysia, and then arrived in Pekanbaru, Indonesia by a dangerous wooden boat on October 10.

Life in Detention Centre

With no right to work or way to support himself, Ezatullah submitted himself to Tanjung Pinang Detention Centre where they were treated like criminals, rather than as refugees who had fled their country to save their lives.

The detention centre was overcrowded and badly ventilated, and they faced many challenges like, lack of food, water and proper medical care.

Despite facing such difficulties, he and some other refugees spent their time learning the English Language.

His Life Now

After remaining in the detention centre for three years, he got his freedom in 2018, and was moved to a community house in the city of Tanjung Pinang.

“It was a release from debilitating pain and depression as well. That freedom opened my wings to start learning new skills and languages.”

Ezatullah has learned Bahasa Indonesia, French and many other skills so that he would be helpful for society in the future.

An opportunity

“I dream of a better life and safe future in a country where I can be free to build my future again, pursue my dream and continue to help others.”

It’s possible. Since Ezatullah is officially certified as a refugee by the UNHCR – unlike the vast majority of the world’s refugees – he qualifies for Canada’s private sponsorship program, Another good thing about Ezatullah is that he has a friend who has agreed to cover the costs of his first year in Canada. These funds will be placed in a trust account as part of the requirements for his application to come to Canada.

If you would like to sponsor Ezatullah – or if you’re just interested in helping to bring here – please contact his friend Stephen Watt.

You can also reach out to Ezatullah directly on Facebook or by email.

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