'I was scared about the future': Afghan family finds new start in Saskatchewan

Afghan immigrant feels at home in PA WATCH: A man from Afghanistan has found a new life in Saskatchewan with his family.

Najibulla Sorosh and his family left their hometown of Kabul in Afghanistan hoping for a better life in Canada.

Before coming to Canada, Sorosh worked as a teacher, principal, manager, and co-founder of two high schools in Kabul, Marefat and Pegah high school.

He says about half of the students and staff in both high schools were women and his goal was to help educate and prepare them for a brighter future in Afghanistan until the Taliban came to power.

“(The Taliban) have their own beliefs. They have their own rules, their own thoughts. According to their beliefs, a woman is not allowed to work or girls are not allowed to be educated,” said Sorosh.

Before making their way to Canada, he and his family were in Abu Dhabi and Mexico. They arrived in Saskatoon in September 2021 and moved to Prince Albert in April 2022 where he now works as a Settlement Councillor at YWCA.

“I was scared about the future of myself and my children. At least in Saskatoon we have many Afghans but I didn’t know about Prince Albert,” said Sorosh.

“And then (YWCA) invited me, my son, and my wife. We came here for one night and YWCA helped us to have a tour around the city. We went to the schools and after that we said, ‘yeah, it’s okay.’”

Apart from Sorosh and his family, more than 20,000 Afghan Nationals have now called Canada their home thanks to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) program.

IRCC is aiming to welcome and resettle 40,000 Afghans by 2024.

“It started last August on the fall of the government in Afghanistan and when the Taliban took control. So far, we continue to remain committed to the 40,000,” said Marie-France Lalonde, Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

“Canada has stepped up and we want to make sure that as the situation in Afghanistan continues that we can help as many people as possible.”

Lalonde says 311 Afghans arrived in Halifax from Pakistan today, bringing the number close to 23,000 Afghan Nationals in Canada.

Other relatives of Sorosh made it to Prince Albert two months ago. They are now studying English with the help of YWCA.

“I’m happy because my children can go to school and I can go to English class and also in the future, I can have a good job for myself,” said Mohammad Reza Rahyab, Sorosh’s brother-in-law.

In the future, Sorosh said he hopes he can help more refugees find a new life in Canada.

“This is my wish at least I can find a way to bring those people who are eligible for living in this country. It’s their right to be in a safe place.”