Integration
Masihullah was forced to leave his family, career and whole life behind in Kabul, Afghanistan when the Taliban took control in August 2021.
“I was not expecting to see such a sad day in my life,” Masihullah says of the day he left his home.
“I'll never forget it, leaving your family behind when you don't know if there will be any chance to see them again. Even now, I miss my mum and dad, my brother and my sister.”
Before moving to the UK, Masihullah lived with his extended family in Kabul, including his parents, elder brother, younger brother, wife, and two sons.
Masihullah and his family lived in Kabul before the government changed in August 2021 and they were forced to leave.
Photo: Masihullah Paktis
He worked with the British Council on a project teaching English to religious leaders before taking a job as a sales and marketing executive at a five-star hotel in Kabul.
Masihullah, his wife and their two sons, aged six and three, initially moved to Islamabad, Pakistan, where they spent 11 months waiting for their UK visas to be processed.
On December 18, 2023, Masihullah and his family arrived in the UK. They were initially placed in a hotel in Swindon, before being moved to Okehampton, Devon, where they now live in a two-bedroom house.
Adjusting to a new life
Settling into a life in a new country has been challenging for Masihullah, as he admits: "New people, new culture, new environment, new weather.“ But despite facing barriers, Masihullah’s children are thriving in their new community.
“I was really worried about my eldest son because he was young and didn't know the language,” he explains. “But fortunately he's very happy and even the school teachers are very happy with him, they keep praising him that he's very good at English.”
Masihullah, his wife and their children now live in Devon, UK after they were forced to leave their whole life behind in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Photo: Masihullah Paktis
Finding support
Masihullah has received valuable support through the IRC’s Refugee Employability Programme (REP), in partnership with World Jewish Relief and The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network C.I.C.
This support has included working with an Employment Advisor to help create a CV tailored to the UK job market, provide guidance in setting up job application profiles, and continue to assist through sharing employment opportunities.
Opening up about the help he has received from the programme, Masihullah says: "I had my CV while I was in Afghanistan, but when I arrived here and I checked some friends and other people’s CVs, I found lots of differences. My case worker guided me on how I can make my CV meaningful.”
This support has also equipped Masihullah to help other newcomers facing similar challenges, as he adds: “Now I can advise someone else how they can make a CV to UK standards."
A new career
With support from the REP and West Devon Council, Masihullah now works as an interpreter, helping Afghan families who have recently arrived in the UK.
"I love my job because the day when we arrived in England I knew English, but we still faced lots of problems,” he says.
Drawing from his own experiences, Masihullah shares valuable advice with people with similar journeys.
“I'm sharing my experience with them,” he adds. “Things like where they can go shopping, how they can use buses, how they can take a taxi or how they can improve their English and get a job.”
Masihullah was working in a luxury hotel before he left Kabul and hopes to one day be a teacher.
Photo: Masihullah Paktis
Hopes for the future
Despite the challenges he has faced, Masihullah remains optimistic about the future. He and his wife are continuing to work with the REP team and Masihullah is actively seeking full-time employment, while also hoping to one day complete his master’s degree in Sociology.
He says: “I'm not financially sufficient to apply to university at the moment, but maybe after six months or a year.” He adds: “My dream job in the UK is to become a teacher.”
What is the International Rescue Committee?
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) helps people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives. We work in over 40 crisis-affected countries.
The IRC in the UK
In addition to helping people in the midst of crises around the world, the IRC helps refugees living in the UK recover and rebuild their lives. Read about our UK programmes.
What is the Refugee Employability Programme?
The REP is a UK-government-funded programme that helps refugees in the UK find work, navigate UK systems, and get support with language learning. The IRC is providing this service in southwest England, along with World Jewish Relief who are delivering employment support and The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network C.I.C.. Learn more.
