By: Ansha Kottapalli

In 2021, as the Taliban took over Kabul, an Afghan teen was abruptly separated from his family at the Kabul International Airport. He now lives on his own in the US.

This seventeen-year-old Afghan teen, who goes by the initials BH, last saw his family of ten while surrounded by a huge crowd of anxious pushy people. There were thousands of horrified Afghans, most of whom were stomped to death. Eventually, BH reached the front of the gate with his documents and was allowed through. He realized, “The rest of his family was nowhere to be seen”(NPR).

BH soon arrived at Doha, Qatar in a heavily packed aircraft filled with refugees. He finally communicated with his mother. He was on the phone with her and the only thing he remembered was that, “‘She was crying’”(NPR). Soon after, about 80,000 Afghan refugees, including BH, arrived in the US. BH did not have any relatives in the US and ultimately decided to live in Virginia because of its education system. He enrolled at Alexandria City High School.

One of his teachers at school discovered he was living alone and was not financially stable, so the school reached out to the Christ Church in Alexandria. Members of this church were trying to aid Afghan refugees who need financial help by supporting them to obtain careers and advanced degrees. A lot of the money that this church raises helps pay for the refugees’ rent.

Although Republicans argue against it, there is “A bill in Congress called the Afghan Adjustment Act [that] would speed permanent residency for the tens of thousands who were airlifted from Kabul International Airport”(NPR). According to NPR, compared to other Afghan refugees in the US, BH is very lucky. Many other refugees struggle with the language and only have a work permit. BH is on his way to becoming a permanent resident and plans to go to Northern Virginia community college where he will study computer programming which will be paid for by his high school.