"They dragged me out of the bus, pointing guns at my head and slapping me on the face. I was about to be shot dead, then a woman sitting next to me on the bus ran out, crying and begging the Taliban to release me. She claimed me as her son and told them I was not an English teacher. The Taliban fighters believed her and ordered us to leave."

After that incident, Shams never returned to his home and made the difficult decision to leave the country for good. However, as an unaccompanied teenager, it was not easy to obtain a passport, and he was forced to resort to a dangerous and treacherous process of smuggling himself out.

"I met a smuggler in Kabul who helped me obtain my travel documents. I then fled to India, where I spent a month, and then with the assistance of a smuggler contact in Malaysia, I was able to secure a visa to leave. I only stayed for a day in Malaysia before boarding an old wooden fishing boat and making my way to Indonesia," Shams recounted his journey.

Upon arriving in Indonesia, Shams sought refuge with the hope of starting a new life but instead encountered a more difficult situation than what he faced in Afghanistan. He registered with the UNHCR as an asylum seeker and awaited his final interview, which was to determine his refugee status. However, he was not provided shelter or assistance.

Desperate for a place to live, Shams submitted himself to the immigration authority, where he was promised to be provided with food and a roof to sleep under. "It was like choosing from bad to worst," he said. "I was homeless and slept on the streets of Jakarta for two weeks before being forced to surrender myself to a prison camp."

Although Shams was underage, he was still imprisoned for three years by Indonesian authorities, who refused to sign the UN 1951 refugee convention and considered seeking asylum illegal. Many asylum seekers, like Shams, are detained for an indefinite amount of time until they are officially recognized as refugees by the UNHCR. Even then, most refugees are still kept in detention facilities in various cities, as the government is not bound by UN refugee rights protocols.

"The living condition was unimaginable," Shams recalls. "We did not have enough food and water, even for showers. No proper medical care. We were locked up 24 hours a day within four depressing walls topped with razor wire."

While many refugees in the camp are grappling with health issues, Shams has found a way to shape his future by tapping into his passion for writing. He has documented the daily struggles of his fellow refugees in a notebook and has gained international recognition for his work, putting pressure on the immigration authorities and the UNHCR to recognize him as a refugee and provide him with support from the IOM (International Organization for Migration).

In 2018, Shams was relocated to Batam, Indonesia, where he was provided with a monthly allowance for food and a place to stay. Despite this, he still lacks basic human rights, such as access to education and work, and is confined within the city without travel documents. His only hope is to find resettlement in a country like the USA or Canada, where he can live a normal life, but this is a dream that is rarely realized for refugees in Indonesia.

Like Shams, there are approximately 13,000 refugees who have been stranded in indefinite limbo in Indonesia for the past decade. They originally intended to seek refuge in Australia, as the country has signed the UN's promise to support refugees fleeing war, conflict, and genocide and shares a border with Indonesia. However, in 2014, Australia stopped accepting refugees from Indonesia, leaving them stranded with no certainty about their future.

Ali Madad Hakimi is a 23-year-old Hazara refugee currently living in an IOM accommodation in Tanjung Pinang. He struggles with epilepsy due to a lack of medication.

"During these seven years, I could have built my future, but instead, I feel like I have no freedom at all. The Indonesian government has denied us our basic rights, and because of the ongoing war and conflict in my country, I cannot return home. The only option left for me is to seek resettlement in a third country."

However, Shams found hope through writing and reached out to Canadians. A group of five Canadians discovered his sponsorship application and offered to help. Now, he is a permanent resident of Canada, living a life of freedom.

Canada is known for its humanitarian efforts and for welcoming refugees. In 2022, it welcomed between 55,000 and 79,500 refugees and protected persons, according to the Canadian immigration department. Its 5G program has made a significant impact on the lives of refugees like Shams.

"Private sponsorship has the power to change lives," said Stephen Watt, a refugee advocate and co-founder of Northern Lights Canada. "It's a gift from Canada to the world and the first and best program of its kind that allows ordinary citizens to help a deserving refugee start a new and better life with access to human rights, respect, and economic opportunities." Since 2021, Stephen and his team have helped sponsor 150 refugees in Canada through Northern Lights.

"I never imagined that I would receive such an honorable job at one of the most prestigious colleges in Canada. It felt surreal for someone like me, coming from a refugee background and being stranded in indefinite limbo."

After years of struggle, Shams found solace and purpose in writing. As a resident writer at George Brown College in Toronto, he is now using his talents to inspire and uplift others.  Through his words and experiences, Shams is making a real difference in the lives of Canadians and proving that it's never too late to chase your dreams and make a positive impact on the world. 

"Everything changed for me upon my arrival in Canada. I now live with my host family, who sponsored my refugee application from a refugee camp in Indonesia to Canada. For the first time in eight years, I feel truly human."

Keep following his journey on Instagram and be inspired by his unwavering determination and spirit.