IDA Success Story

Sayed and his family of 7 came to the US when the Taliban took over in Afghanistan in 2019. When he first arrived, there were many things to consider. He had the option of being resettled in California or Washington. While California has more resources for new arrivals, he knew that he wanted to work and be a contributing member in his new community. So, he and his family decided on Washington.

Before they put down roots and bought a house, they did a tour of the US, traveling to California, Utah, Ohio, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New York to see what life is like in different areas of such a large country. Ultimately, they settled on Washington State since it has good schools. Originally, Sayed is from Badakhshan Afghanistan, where he says the schools are not great. He moved his family to Kabul in order for his children to get a better education and have more opportunities.

Now that they are in the US, his children are in school and attending university. One of his sons loves playing soccer and has traveled to Florida and Idaho to compete with his school’s team. Another son is in 8th grade and received top scores at his school. All of his kids now have the opportunity to follow their dreams and he is grateful for this. Additionally, he helped many of his friends and family from Afghanistan resettle in the US by serving as a US tie for 76 families. US Ties help house recent arrivals until a home can be found for them and teach them how to get around in their new community.

After they got settled in, Sayed asked his family, what is the next step? He asked them, should we buy a house? After deliberating, they decided that it would be best to invest in a business. With experience as a veterinarian in Afghanistan, Sayed started looking into buying a farm. They settled on a 10-acre farm south  of Seattle in Enumclaw. About 6 months ago, Sayed started his own business, Badakhshan LLC, that provides halal meat. He travels around Washington and Oregon to animal auctions and bids on animals, then brings them back to his farm. He processes the meat at a local farm with a processing area, then delivers orders all over the Puget Sound region. He’s hoping to build his own processing area at his farm soon so he can be self-sufficient.

One of the most challenging things for him conducting business is his limited English skills. He is worried that he has missed out on opportunities to grow his business since he cannot speak English well. This does not stop him from succeeding though! He has taken friends who do speak English to auctions to show them how it works and they shared that they cannot understand anything the auctioneer is saying since they talk so quickly. I think many of us would feel the same! This doesn’t stop Sayed from conducting his business and he asks his children for help interpreting when needed.

His business had been doing well, but he says business is down in the last few months and believes it’s due to the uncertainty sown by our new government. He is hoping to learn more about marketing his business to increase his profits and grow his business. He is currently working with the New Roots Fund to secure a loan to grow his business. If you are shopping for Halal meat, give him a call for your order at 206-880-9779.

Ukrainian Immigration Workshops

The Diocese of Olympia Refugee Resettlement Office (RRO) has many programs and services that help immigrants adjust to their new lives in the United States. One of the programs are immigration workshops to help Ukrainians navigate our country’s immigration processes.

The workshop guides recent humanitarian parolees through the process of changing their status and guides them toward a path to citizenship. During the workshop, attendees can ask questions and seek information they need to know for this new pathway. The workshop is run by Larisa Podrogny, who works with the Life of Freedom organization in Bellevue. Larisa is an immigration specialist who is able to answer questions any attendee might have about the process. These free workshops are run monthly throughout the year to assist incoming new groups of humanitarian parolees and refugees.

Employment Succeses

Befiker, a refugee from Ethiopia, shows the strong work ethics and determination to become financially independent of many refugees. One striking quality that became apparent to me right away is his remarkable drive and determination. Just two days after our initial meeting, Befiker was interviewed by Gate Gourmet and promptly hired.

Befiker confidently states, "Computers come naturally to me," and he aspires to take relevant classes and eventually work at Microsoft. He possesses the ability to effectively advocate for his aspirations, demonstrating a clear sense of purpose and ambitious plans.

Abdul, a refugee from Afghanistan, arrived in this country with his wife and four sons. Back in Afghanistan, Abdul served in the Presidential Protective Services (PPS) for a commendable 12 years as part of the President's security detail.

With a keen interest in security, Abdul has found employment at PalAmerican Security and has diligently earned all necessary certificates, completed relevant courses, and fulfilled mandatory training requirements to do his job well.

Notably, Abdul consistently maintains a positive demeanor and expresses deep gratitude to all those who have supported him during this significant life transition.