Names: Ijaz Gulzari and his children Muntaha Gulzari (9), Zakir Hussain (8), Sarim Hussain (6).

Profile: Hazara refugees from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, driver, FULLY FUNDED.

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Needed: A group of 5 Canadian citizens to sponsor him.

Ijaz was a child when his family moved to Pakistan. Unfortunately, the insecure situation in Pakistan forced him to move to Indonesia in search of safety. He has been living with his three children in Indonesia where his kids do not have access to proper education.

Ijaz has access to the required funds needed for his sponsorship to Canada. He is looking for a group of five Canadian friends who can bring him and his kids to Canada where they can get proper education and have a bright future.

Background

Ijaz was born in January 1994 in the Damarda district of Ghazni province in Afghanistan.

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres because of their culture, religion, and love for education. Ijaz’s family had a large farming land. Unfortunately, some of his Pashtun neighbors, who were members of the Taliban too, wanted to take over their land. During the night, they used to open fire on Ijaz’s home in order to threaten his family to leave the farming land.

His father could not resist those Pashtuns. After Ijaz’s brother got disappeared, his father moved the family to Quetta, Pakistan in 2002 in search of a safe place.

Life in Pakistan

In Pakistan, they did not have legal status to stay in the country. On the other hand, Pakistan was not safe for the Hazara people. In search of a safe place, Ijaz’s father migrated illegally to Australia by boat in April 2010. After his father left home, Ijaz took all the responsibilities to support his family. He used to sell fruits and then started working at a coat-making and selling shop on Abdul Sattar Road.

Attacked

On July 04, 2012, Ijaz got married.

Due to the increasing number of target killings and bomb blasts on the Hazara people, it was becoming more dangerous for Ijaz to go and return from work. He had to travel from the road where Hazaras were being attacked.

On March 02, 2021, he was coming back from work with his friend Manzoor. When he reached a place named Zangi Loda, three armed men with covered faces pointed him to stop.

“I was very afraid. It was around 8 PM and due to the darkness, I could not see them. I increased the speed of the bike to escape, but they opened fire on us.”

Ijaz’s friend Mazoor who sat behind Ijaz was shot twice. He was taken to Bolan Medical Complex by Ijaz, but the hospital’s staff member told him to file a report at the police station.

Ijaz then went to the police station, but the police did not listen to him since he did not have legal documents to stay in the country. They even threatened Ijaz not to do anything.

“I returned home with the feeling of helplessness.”

Journey

After the incident, Ijaz could not continue his work due to insecurity. His wife got divorced in 2019 due to some family problems and left her children behind. There was no hope of a better life for Ijaz in Quetta, Pakistan anymore. He then decided to seek a safe country and move with his kids there.

After he arranged for a people smuggler with the help of a person known as Haji, he and his kids traveled to Karachi by road. From there, they went to Malaysia by plane and then on to Indonesia by boat on September 07, 2021.

His Concern

After they moved to Bogor, on December 29, 2021, they were registered with the UNHCR. Ijaz has been very worried about his kids’ future. As refugees, his kids cannot get proper education, and Ijaz cannot work, drive and even open a bank account. He says:

“I am searching for a way to get my kids to a country where they can have access to proper education. Like every father, I hope to see them having a bright future in a peaceful country.”

An Opportunity

Since Ijaz and his kids are officially certified as refugees by the UNHCR – unlike the vast majority of the world’s refugees – they qualify for Canada’s private sponsorship program. Another good thing about this beautiful family is that they are FULLY FUNDED. All they need is a group of five Canadian friends to sponsor them.

If you would like to sponsor them – or if you’re just interested in helping to bring them here – please contact their friend Stephen Watt on Facebook.

You can reach out to Ijaz directly on Facebook – or by email: muntaha78610@gmail.com – or through WhatsApp: +62 813-8199-7901.

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

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