Name: Qadir Khalili

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, experienced salesperson and car polisher.

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Qadir Khalili, a Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, embarked on a perilous escape to Pakistan in 2014 due to threats in his village. Seeking safety, he journeyed to Indonesia, endured detention, and learned English while being detained. As a UNHCR-certified, he aspires to work and live freely. He is skilled in sales and car polishing.

Qadir dreams of a fresh start in Canada. He is now looking for a group of five Canadian friends who can help him start a new life.

His Story 

Qadir was born in 1986 in Jaghori district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan. His father used to work as a farmer to support the family. Besides going to school, he used to help his father in farming.

At school, Qadir had a teacher who was preaching Atheism. Those students who became Atheists, the teacher used to give them money to persuade others in his way.

Qadir was young when one day in his village, there was a Quran reading ceremony. The ceremony holder was Qadir’s distant relative. As a young boy, Qadir was asked to recite the Quran. While reciting the Quran, his colleagues who were atheists too, saw him and started scolding him. Qadir suddenly snapped and ripped the Quran in front of everyone. The whole gathering of the elderly was shocked at Qadir’s action. Among those, Qadir’s father was also there, and he threw a glass filled with hot tea at Qadir’s face. The glass was hit at the side of his left cheek, and he immediately ran away towards the marketplace of Pashi.

“I was very scared and I knew that I would be killed by any of them if I stayed there.”

Seeking Peace

By using his father’s name, Qadir borrowed some money from his father’s friend who had a shop in the marketplace. Since Qadir’s elder brother was living in Quetta, Pakistan, he decided to escape to Pakistan. After he arranged for a people smuggler, he was taken to Hazara Town, Quetta, Pakistan where he started living with his brother. His brother had a vegetable shop and Qadir used to help his brother at the shop.

“My brother treated me well at the beginning. But, his behavior changed, and he started despising me once he heard what I did back in the village.”

At Risk, Again

One day in July 2014, three men from Qadir’s village showed up in the Hazara Town. Qadir learned from his brother’s wife that those three men were there to take Qadir back to the village. The elderly in the village had pressured Qadir’s father to punish him. They had even decided his punishment which was death according to the villagers.

“I had never imagined being in danger even in Quetta due to what I did back in Afghanistan. I then tried finding a people smuggler to get to a safe place.”

His Journey to Indonesia

Qadir had some savings, and with the help of his friends in Quetta, he arranged for a people smuggler. On July 10, 2014, he traveled from Quetta to Karachi by bus where he stayed at a people smuggler's house for a week. On July 17, 2014, he flew from Karachi to Bangkok, Thailand.  From there, he went to Malaysia by plane and then on to Pekanbaru, Indonesia by boat on August 07, 2014.

Detention Centre

After arriving in Jakarta, Qadir registered himself with the UNHCR on August 09, 2014. With no right to work or way to support himself in Indonesia, he went to Manado Immigration Centre to ask for assistance. On February 15, 2015, he was transferred to a detention centre in Tanjung Pinang.

“I was locked behind detention walls along with 500 other refugees with little access to food and medical care.”

While being detained, he spent his time learning English and Indonesian languages. Also, he kept playing volleyball to stay fit and healthy. In January 2018, he received his freedom and was transferred to a community house in Tanjung Pinang. Since then, he has been living there.

It is Possible!

As a refugee, Qadir has been deprived of his basic human rights. He cannot work, get a proper education, drive and even travel to another city. He is an experienced salesperson and car polisher. His dream is to start a new life in a safe country where he can work and live a peaceful life with freedom.

It is possible! Since he 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 him is that he is FULLY FUNDED.

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

You can reach out to Qadir Khalili directly on Facebook – or through WhatsApp: +62 831-6124-8211.

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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