Name: Yahya Jamili

Profile: Hazara refugee from Afghanistan, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, volunteer English teacher.

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

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

WhatsApp: +62 83184974606

The Taliban killed Yahya’s father and gave Yahya two days to join them. He had no way but to escape from his country, so he fled to Indonesia in 2014.

While living in a detention centre in Indonesia, he gave his all-time learning English and Indonesian language, and then he became a representative of refugees in Tanjung Pinang. Also, he had volunteered as an English teacher for refugees and locals.

He needs now a group of Canadian friends who can help him come to Canada where he can pursue his education, help society and live a peaceful life.

His Story

Yahya Jamili was born in 1997 in Nawur 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. Yahya’s village had been dominated by the Taliban since 2010. According to the Taliban, those who were helping or working with the government were culprits and needed to be punished by them.

Yahya’s father Ali Hussain Jamili, was the head of school in their village, and he was the one who worked hard and brought vaccines of tuberculosis for people of the village.

He was threatened, and attacked by the Taliban several times to stop his service to the people, but he didn’t give up and kept helping others in every possible way.

In 2013, the Taliban killed Yahya’s father and came to his home to kill his family members as well, but people gathered there and started asking the Taliban not to kill Yahya’s family. As Yahya was the elder son of his father, the Taliban promised not to kill him and his family if he would come and join them in fighting with the government.

“They took my ID Card and gave me only two days to join them but after all, I was my father’s son, so I would have sacrificed my life but would never join them.”

Leaving Home

The second night, Yahya left his home and went towards the mountains hiddenly. After crossing the mountains for three days, he luckily reached a village, and then he escaped to Ghazni where one of his father’s friends had a shop. His father’s friend gave him money and sent him to Kabul. He stayed in Kabul in a hotel, and the hotel’s owner arranged for a people smuggler for him.

The Way to Indonesia

After staying for two weeks in Kabul, he flew to New Delhi, India where he stayed for 19 days. Then he flew to Malaysia and stayed there for 3 days. He arrived in Indonesia in December 2014 and registered himself at the UNHCR office in the same month.

His Life in Limbo

With no right to work or way to support himself in the new country, Yahya went to Tanjung Pinang Immigration Centre to ask for assistance on January 1, 2015. He was kept inside a small room at the immigration centre for 19 months, and in July 2017, he was transferred to a detention centre in Tanjung Pinang.

“When I entered Indonesia, I didn’t know a word of English or Indonesian language, so I gave my all-time in learning Engish and Indonesian language. Also, I appreciated and motivated many refugees to keep learning these languages.”

Finally, he got his freedom from the detention centre and was transferred to a community house in October 2018.

Yahya was chosen as a representative of refugees in Tanjung Pinang. He has been raising his voice for refugees’ right there and still persuading refugees to learn English and Indonesian languages.

“I taught English at an Indonesian school for 8 months without any salary, and I have been teaching English to refugees.”

His Hopes and Dreams

Yahya’s dream is to get proper education and to encourage more people.

“I hope that the day will come when I live with the humanitarian people of Canada in the shadow of justice and be useful to society.”

The Last Word

Yahya dreams of living a life in which he can have his basic rights and get proper education.

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

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

You can also reach out to Yahya Jamili directly on Facebook or by email or through his WhatsApp: +62 83184974606. .

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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