SEATTLE — It’s been more than a year since thousands of Afghans fled to the U.S. after the Taliban took over the country. In the months following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, some of those refugees made their way to Washington State.
“It was like a bad dream,” said Setara Wafa, an Afghan refugee now living in Seattle.
Wafa was getting ready for work when she got word from a co-worker the Taliban has taken over
“Don't come to the job because the Taliban is coming and all the city is covered with the Taliban and I thought it was a joke, like he is joking with me,” said Wafa.
Her job put her in even more danger. Wafa was an officer in the Afghan army and a student in the Air Force. Her instructor was able to find a way for her to get out of Afghanistan, but the airport in Kabul was chaotic and she feared she wouldn’t make it out.
“(It was) so crowded, so many people were fighting and after three days finally we could show the documents and take us inside the airport,” said Wafa.
She left Afghanistan on August 26th and made it to Washington DC three days later. After she fled, a member of the Taliban came to the air force looking for her and other female military members
“He asked about each woman that was working here and they said your name also and called your name and said where is she and people said we don't know about them,” said Wafa.
Wafa is worried about the women left behind.
“The Taliban said women are not human and your duties should be at home and have so many babies, and no school for them,” said Wafa.
Wafa and her family made it to Seattle in December of last year. The first few months were a challenge as she worried about friends still in Afghanistan.
“I have no country, but I am in America and I should try to be the best and do something for my country, for my people, for my friends, and family,” said Wafa.
She’s doing that by working as a teacher assistant for Refugee Women’s Alliance helping new refugees navigate their new home.
Three thousand Afghan refugees resettled in Washington State. The state received more than $50 million in federal funds and $28.4 million from the state legislature to support services to help refugees.
“I have so many friends, I have a job and a new life,” said Wafa.
She still dreams of becoming a pilot, this time she hopes it's with the U.S. Air Force.