The context

Since August 2021, the U.S. has welcomed over 74,000 Afghan refugees, with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) acting as a leading organization to support the evacuee process.

Originally, the IRC expected to resettle between 5,000-7,500 Afghan refugees in the United States. With the announcement and launch of the U.S. Government’s Afghan Placement and assistance (APA) program in 2021, the IRC has assisted over 12,000 Afghan refugees with critical resettlement support to-date.

Programmatic impact

Thanks to the generous support of Cartier Philanthropy and our network of partners, the IRC has been able to launch several initiatives across different sectors:

Areas of work
Temporary housing

For Afghan families arriving in the US, the IRC with the support of Cartier Philanthropy, was able to provide a place of stability and comfort by arranging temporary housing — through hotels or Airbnbs — for more than 10,800 people.

Information services

Settle-in, an IRC and partner-run Facebook page, provides up-to-date information for new Afghan families in the U.S. The platform provides information about resettlement services, employment, housing, education, and COVID-19.

Legal assistance

A core component of our resettlement work is to ensure our new arrivals are met with open arms and have the legal rights to live freely and work in safety.

Cash assistance

The IRC have provided more than 12,000 people with an estimated $50 USD per week for four weeks to meet urgent needs and re-build purchase power they lost in making the journey to safety. This support gives refugees the dignity to make choices on what to purchase.

MHPSS

The IRC’s mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programs are customized to individuals'context and cultural background. Our MHPSS programming not only consists of counselling, but also covers the Individual's cost of medication, therapy services, associated transportation and interpretation/ translation services.

SAFE

IRC launched SAFE (Support for Afghan Financial Empowerment Initiative) — an evidence based, practical and nationally available project to elevate our economic empowerment support. The SAFE platform includes a suite of online financial classes, a booking system to make appointments with a financial coach, information on managing loans and online learnings on income generation.

12,000+

Afghans supported since summer 2021.



12,000+ Afghan special immigrants and Afghan placement and assistance parolees supported in more than 20 cities across the US.

10,000+

Refugees provided with temporary housing.



Over 10,000 individuals (with their families) provided with temporary housing (in hotels or Airbnbs) while awaiting permanent housing.

12,000+

People provided with cash assistance.



This support gives refugees the dignity to make choices on what to purchase. Their most common needs include: food, medication, hygiene essentials, school supplies and cell phones.

IRC client

Once I arrived here, I thought I got all I wanted and now I can overcome any problems. It was a strange feeling to know I can achieve whatever I had planned for.

Sofia
IRC Client

A look from the inside

An IRC RAI (Resettlement and Integration) staff walk you through the support and services Afghan clients receive when they arrive at a "Safe Haven."

Shir Zad’s story

Shir Zad is a 26-year-old refugee from Afghanistan. After the IRC helped him resettle in the U.S., Shir Zad decided to give back by becoming an IRC caseworker and helping process and resettle other refugees arriving in the U.S.

“A home is not just walls, just shelter. It’s a feeling,” Shir Zad says. “When you get to your new apartment, you feel that okay, I’m not alone. There is someone somewhere who helps me. So, when I got into my own apartment [for the] first time, I felt something, I felt like there are so many good people still around the world that really want to help refugees. So, I was really thankful of that.”

After the IRC helped him resettle in the U.S., Shir Zad decided to give back by becoming an IRC caseworker and helping resettle other refugees arriving in the country. Shir Zad and his colleagues help refugee families find housing and jobs, enrol their children in school, learn English, and adjust to their new country.

Afghans supported across the United States

Map detailing Afghan clients supported in the USA

 

Thank you Cartier Philanthropy

Your flexible funding allows the IRC to respond with agility to crises while simultaneously planning bold, long-term solutions to the needs of vulnerability communities. Newly arrived families meet us when they are already facing strains to their emotional, social and physical well-being. With tailored and sensitive programs, we can ensure that Afghan families are provided with appropriate housing, cash assistance to cover urgent expenses, MHPSS and legal support.