“When I remember those days, it is very painful for me and I get emotional.” On January 16, Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE) x VU hosted Noormah Sadat, an Afghanistan refugee, to discuss her journey escaping to the United States.
Sadat is a resident of Nashville who escaped Afghanistan in 2021 after the Taliban took over the country. Her family—including her mother, father, four sisters and one brother—are still in Afghanistan.
Back in Afghanistan, she worked as a logistics manager for the National Directory of Security of Afghanistan, an organization similar to the United States’ FBI. Sadat is proud of the seven years she served in that role, but as a woman working a professional role and collaborating with the United States, she was repeatedly targeted by the Taliban. The Taliban once planted a bomb in her car, killing her driver at the time. After a bombing attack on the embassy, Sadat spent four months in the hospital and still has an injured foot. Sadat knew that if she was found once the Taliban took over in 2021, she would be killed by being “cut into pieces.”
Sadat’s American coworkers helped her get an emergency visa. She had to leave her province quickly after the Taliban took over. Almost a week later, she navigated a nearly destroyed airport to try to escape. Her family was unable to make it to the airport due to the constant bombing and rocket attacks. With her whole face covered to abide by Taliban policy, she left Afghanistan with no bags and only the equivalent of $100 in Afghan currency.
Sadat had no idea where she would go in the United States. She first went to Germany to finish processing her documentation. During her days in Germany, Sadat was unable to eat or drink, and she could not contact her family for her own safety. Eventually, she made it to Washington, DC, settling in Virginia for three months.
When Sadat was given a choice of where to live, she said Chicago, because she had been watching lots of movies that took place in the city. “I didn’t know any other cities in the United States,” said Sadat. They explained that weather might be an issue, so they sent her to Tennessee, where she became a NICE client.
In her apartment in Tennessee, Sadat lives with two other women from Afghanistan. She cites language as the most difficult part of her adjustment. She would often get headaches from talking.
Another adjustment that was difficult for Sadat was finding work. Sadat has a medical technology bachelors from school in Afghanistan, but was told she would not be able to do that kind of work in the United States. She had a hard time accepting jobs that she felt were below her skill level.
Although Sadat is happy to be here now, she initially faced intense depression. Sadat attempted suicide twice because of how depressed she felt. She made friends in America, and those people helped her come out of that depression. She said volunteers at NICE checked on her during some of her hardest days.
The hardest part of continuing to live in the United States is that she has not seen her family since she left. Taliban rule has made it difficult for her family to survive, since none of her sisters are permitted to work, her parents are too old, and her brother is much too young to support the whole family.
Sadat tries to be strong and continue to support her family. However, she greatly misses them, and thinking about her journey as a refugee makes her emotional. Sadat closed her talk with advice she learned during her journey: “Never lose your hope.”
Freshman Rishabh San was inspired by hearing Sadat’s story. “It was easy to tell she went through lots of hardship to get here,” he said.
Senior Shreya Konkimalla was also moved by this talk. “I appreciated what she said about women’s education and how that was a huge part of her life,” said Konkimalla. She was left reflecting on how grateful she is for the opportunities in her own life.
NICE x VU president Simra Kazimuddin is thrilled with the organization’s first speaker event. “A goal of mine for the NICE x VU is to continue fostering dialogue between Vanderbilt students and the large immigrant/refugee community in Nashville.” To get involved with NICE x VU or attend future speaker events, you can follow their Instagram @nicexvandy.
