Cedar Rapids’ Afghan Community, 18 Months On

In December 2021, the ICFRC began a program series called, Refugees and Immigrants in Iowa. To begin, we focused on “Resettling Afghan Refugees in Iowa,” with speakers Mak Suceska and Sara Zejnic. These speakers explained the complicated process of refugee resettlement and the early efforts to welcome and support Afghans to the US and to our state. Today, 18 months after the fall of Kabul, Saadat Ahmadi from Catholic Charities of Dubuque in Cedar Rapids and Zainab Afghan from YPN will discuss how the Afghan community in Cedar Rapids has been doing in eastern Iowa, sharing their challenges and their joys as well as their hopes and dreams for the future. Attendees will learn how they can support their Afghan neighbors and the agencies in Iowa serving Iowa’s newest residents. ​

Saadat Ahmadi is an Interpreter / Resource Navigator with the Catholic charities of Archdioceses of Dubuque (CCAD) in Cedar Rapids helping fellow resettled Afghans with language barriers and introducing them to available resources in the community, Saadat was born and raised in Afghanistan and after graduating from high school joined Afghan Airforce and has a diploma from Afghan Airforce university (Academy) and was a Lieutenant and helicopter pilot for the Afghan Airforce (AAF), Saadat had his flight school and flights in republic of Slovakia in H-269 and MD530 helicopters and in October of 2021 after the fall of the Afghan government Saadat was evacuated from republic of Slovakia to the US and was granted Parole status under the operation allies refuge (OAR) program and in the last winter of 2021, He was resettled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where he continue to live, Saadat always had a passion of helping and assisting people and this inspired Saadat to start working with Catholic Charities in Cedar Rapids, Saadat is now part of the Immigration Legal Services team of the of the Catholic Charities in Cedar Rapids helping Afghans with their different immigration matters and helping them seek lawful permanent residency in the US. ​

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Zainab Afghan is the Afghan Program Specialist at YPN in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Her family and 
she came to the US in August of 2021 after the fall of Afghanistan. Her family’s life in the US 
started in Wisconsin, but after a long journey, they finally settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa in 
February of 2022. Shortly after, Zainab started her first job at YPN in March of 2022. She assists 
families in their transition to life in the US, connects them to resources in the community, 
interprets for home visits and group classes, and works as a support for Afghan mothers 
navigating parenting in the US. She has also collaborated with Catherine McCauley Center, as 
they provide many classes and support for the Afghan community. Zainab graduated high 
school in Afghanistan, and wants to go to school to become a doctor. She hopes to return to 
Afghanistan after she has completed her education so that she can continue to serve those in 
need.