Name: Sohrab Ali Qiam

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, auto mechanic, painter, FULLY FUNDED.

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Sohrab, a Hazara guy was an auto mechanic in his village. After being captured by the Taliban, he luckily fled to Indonesia by boat in 2014.

He was detained for 4 years inside a detention centre. While living in limbo, he has been learning English and volunteering in different works for refugees and even locals. He hopes now to find a group of friends who can bring him to Canada where he can get proper education and support his family.

Early Life

Sohrab Ali Qiam was born on January 1, 1996 in a village in the Jaghori district in Ghazni province in Afghanistan.

The Hazara people of the region have long been targets of persecution and massacres due to their culture, religion, and love for education. Sohrab’s father was an auto mechanic and Sohrab used to help his father at his shop. They used to repair local police cars as well. One day in 2014, a suspicious car was brought to their shop for repair and Sohrab’s father reported the car to the local police. Later on, his father received a threatening letter from the Taliban.

Abducted

In November 2014, Sohrab had to go to Kabul to bring some vehicle parts and while being on the way to Kabul by bus, the Taliban stopped the bus and started checking everyone’s National Identity Card. After checking Sohrab’s ID Card, two members of the Taliban blindfolded him and put him on a motorcycle.

“I was trembling with fear and I did not know where I was being taken.”

At the time of night prayers, the Taliban stopped the motorcycle in a vineyard where they started offering their prayers. Sohrab found a good chance to escape from there and save his life. He ran away from there and hid in the vineyard the whole night. In the morning, he reached a highway and went to Kabul with the help of a Hazara car driver.

From Afghanistan to Indonesia

In Kabul, Sohrab contacted his uncle and shared everything with him. His uncle arranged for a people smuggler to send Sohrab to a safe country, and on November 11, 2014, Sohrab flew from Kabul to New Delhi, India where he stayed for 3 days. Then, he went to Malaysia by plane and then on to Indonesia by boat on November 25, 2014.

Life in the Detention Centre

After arriving in Jakarta, he registered himself at the UNHCR office on December 1, 2014, and stayed in Bogor for a few days.

With no right to work or way to support himself in the new country, Sohrab went to Balikpapan Immigration Centre to ask for assistance. On December 18, 2014, he was transferred to a detention centre there.

The detention centre was overcrowded. Sohrab and other refugees did not have access to proper food, enough water and a decent place to sleep.

“I was uncertain of my freedom and it was the toughest time for me.”

After spending about 4 years inside the detention centre, he received his freedom and was transferred to a community house in Makassar on August 28, 2018.

His Life Now

Sohrab has been attending the English classes regularly. Also, he has been doing exercise to stay healthy.

After arriving in Indonesia, Sohrab heard the tragic news about his father being disappeared by the Taliban.

“Since then, no one has heard of my father.”

The Only Option

Sohrab’s only option to be able to get a proper education, find work and move forward with his life is to find a group of citizens to bring him to Canada.

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

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

You can also reach out to Sohrab 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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