Support Afghan evacuees in Albania

Your Impact

With the help of our donors, Spirit of America raised $1,600,000 to meet the daily needs of 121 Afghan evacuees in Albania while they awaited resettlement to the US. Specific support included room and board, clothing, hygiene supplies, children’s books, English classes, healthcare services, continued education, and more.

This project is fully funded and the group has made it to America. THANK YOU!

In late August, Spirit of America, in close collaboration with Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, helped with the evacuation of 121 Afghans from Kabul to Albania. Since then, Spirit of America has assumed temporary responsibility for their daily needs on their journey to a better life.

Spirit of America is paying for their room and board, as well as providing hygiene kits, laundry supplies, baby formula, diapers, clothing, phone chargers and adapters, shoes, and more. We are also working with a group of nonprofits to provide necessities such as healthcare, education, and employment opportunities for this group of evacuees, including nearly 40 children.

Our Europe Regional Director, Colleen Denny, takes a selfie with Sara, pictured in the center, who was featured in this Washington Post article.

Terrell Chandler, Director of Field Operations, assembles a stroller for one of the families. Of the 121 evacuees we are supporting in Albania, 40 are children.

Evacuation was just the first step in a long and difficult journey for these Afghans. Most of the evacuees now face up to a year of waiting in Albania before they are resettled in their new home countries and can begin to rebuild their lives. They had to leave behind not only their possessions, but also their jobs, friends, family members, schools, and so much more.

The 121 stories of bravery and the hopes they have for their futures are humbling. In the group there are Fulbright Scholars, PhDs, interpreters who worked with US troops, former Deputy Ministers, female graduate students, and IMF and World Bank partners, to name a few.

These people, who were loyal partners to the United States and who dedicated the last 20 years of their lives to the betterment of Afghanistan, deserve our support to help them lead a dignified life while they await the long and arduous resettlement process.

One of our Program Managers assesses the needs of the Afghan evacuees. Every need we have identified has been tailored to each individual and family.

We are committed to standing by our Afghan partners and making their lives as dignified and comfortable as possible while they wait to move on to their new homes. It is a mammoth undertaking to now be responsible for 121 lives, and we can’t do it without your help.

Your donation will go directly to help the 121 Afghans in Albania. This fund is part of our broader Afghanistan Emergency Fund, which is supporting Afghans evacuated by the US to a number of temporary locations.