Name: Shujaat Ali Jaffari

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

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

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

His YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/SamJafry/videos

After 13 years of living as a refugee in Pakistan, Shujaat’s father returned to Afghanistan thinking that he would no longer be in danger, but he was wrong and got killed by the Taliban. Shujaat could not go to Afghanistan nor he could live in Pakistan because as a Hazara man, his life was in danger there as well, so he fled to Indonesia in 2014.

While spending 41 months inside a detention centre and being treated like a prisoner there, Shujaat spent his time learning English and doing exercise to stay healthy.

Now, he needs a group of five Canadian friends who can help him start his life again in Canada.

Background

Shujaat Ali was born in 1998 in a village of the Jaghori district in 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. Shujaat’s father Muhammad Ibrahim, was a driver and he was the co-owner of a car with a Pashtun man Gul Mohammad, during the Taliban’s reign over Afghanistan. Gul Mohammad had link with the Taliban. One day, he told Shujaat’s father (Muhammad Ibrahim) to rest for some time and he will drive the car and work in place of him.

Shujaat’s father (Muhammad Ibrahim) did not receive any money while resting for a few months, so he asked Gul Mohammad to sell the car and give his share, but Gul Mohammad refused to give Muhammad Ibrahim’s share.

Shujaat’s father did not have any choice, so he complained against Gul Mohammad in the police station. After a few days, Gul Mohammad sent a threatening letter to Shujaat’s father in which he said that he would find and kill him.

Muhammad Ibrahim escaped with his family to Quetta, Pakistan with the help of Shujaat’s maternal uncle.

Life in Pakistan

While living in Pakistan, his father worked as a constructor, fruits seller and carpet weaver to support his family. The number of target killings and bomb attacks on the Hazara people increased in Pakistan by terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba. In summer 2013, Shujaat’s father decided to return to Afghanistan with the hope that there was a republic government, and he would no longer be in danger.

“About 20 days later, my maternal uncle contacted my mother and said that my father had been killed by the Taliban.”

His Journey to Indonesia

In 2013, there were two tragic blasts where more than 200 Hazara innocents were killed and more than 300 got injured.

Quetta was no longer safe for the Hazara people, and Shujaat’s mother didn’t want to lose her son as well, because he was the only hope for her, so she decided to send him to a safe country.

With the help of her relative, Shujaat’s mother arranged for a people smuggler, and in September 2014, Shujaat went from Quetta to Karachi by bus and stayed there for 2 days. Then he flew to Malaysia and where he stayed for 3 days. From there, he went to Singapore and then on to Jakarta, Indonesia by plane.

His Life in The Detention Centre

After registering himself at the UNHCR office, Shujaat went to Pontianak Immigration Centre to ask for assistance. On October 22, 2014, he was transferred to a detention centre in Pontianak where he was being treated like a prisoner.

“While living there, I kept myself busy in learning English language and doing exercise. These helped me not to give up.”

His Life Now

On March 13, 2014, Shujaat received his freedom and was transferred to a community house in Tanjung Pinang. Now, he keeps himself busy learning local Indonesian and English languages. Also, he has a YouTube channel.

His Hope

“I hope to live my life with my family members in a peaceful country and I believe that I will find a group of kind-hearted friends who will be my sponsors”

As a UNHCR refugee, Shujaat is eligible for Canada’s private sponsorship program. He needs a group of five Canadian friends to support him.

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

You can also reach out to Shujaat by email: shujaata467@gmail.com

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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