When refugee Asaddullah Rahimi wanted to share his story with the world, his dreams came true through the efforts of writer Bethany Brownholtz and therapist Ashley Fargnoli. The three worked together for hours using phone interpreting services to learn how Asaddullah escaped Afghanistan with his fiancée to avoid fatal retaliation for wanting to get married. Fargnoli, a licensed counselor, was present to assure that Asaddullah could process any difficult emotions that emerged as he recalled traumatic memories. Brownholtz transcribed all the interviews and shaped them into a coherent story that is available for anyone to read online for free in both English and Dari, Asaddullah’s native language (arefugeestory.com). His story shows the resilience of the human spirit and provides a glimpse into the refugee experience.
In the picture, Asaddullah is shown with his daughter, playing in the snow—a tradition he had with his father who was killed as a result of supporting the controversial marriage.
More info: arefugeestory.com
Asaddullah and his adorable daughter
A photo of mountains in Afghanistan, simlar to where they hid during their journey, collaged with an actual interview transcript
