Welcome to Episode Two of The Afghanistan Project Podcast, where hosts Mikael Cook and Beth Bailey highlight the struggles of Afghans living under Taliban rule, and the efforts of individuals from a variety of backgrounds and political affiliations who have stepped up to provide support to the people of Afghanistan in the chaos that followed the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Our guest this week is Amy Sins, an incredible figure in the world of disaster relief. Amy is a chef and owner of Langlois, a traveling culinary showcase in her hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana. Amy is also the founder and executive director of Fill the Needs, a nonprofit organization through which she and her team provide immediate assistance within the first two weeks of natural or man-made disasters.
In this episode, Amy explains how she was brought in to use her disaster relief skills to assist Afghans attempting to flee their country through Hamid Karzai International Airport in August 2021. While Amy typically hands off her duties to an established relief organization after several weeks of crisis response, she explains that, in Afghanistan, no other organizations were available to backfill her operations. Almost a year and a half later, Amy continues to provide support to families stuck in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and throughout Europe.
Amy provides important insight on the various programs that are available to Afghans who worked alongside U.S. personnel during our almost twenty-year Afghanistan engagement. She explains why humanitarian parole has failed to offer respite for Afghans, and talks about the struggles facing Afghans with Priority-1 and Priority-2 referrals to the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program.
Though her work supporting Afghans has been an all-consuming facet of her life, Amy tells listeners about the hope that her work has given her, and given the Afghans whom she supports. She implores listeners to think about how their particular skills could be used to support refugees and those in need.
Our episode concludes with a letter written by Afghan Priority-2 referral candidate Arezo, whose name has been changed for her protection. Arezo tells listeners about how her work as a women’s rights advocate led to multiple terrifying threats from the Taliban. Though Arezo moved to Pakistan to undergo processing for her P2 referral, her visa has expired, and processing of her case has yet to begin.
Follow Fill the Needs on Instagram @filltheneedsorg or visit their website, http://www.filltheneeds.org. Find Amy on Instagram @chefamysins or Twitter @chefamysins.
Mikael Cook was an Army non-commissioned officer and veteran of the war in Afghanistan. He was an active member of the #DigitalDunkirk movement to evacuate our Afghan Allies in August of 2021. You can follow his Instagram @Mikaelcook89.
Beth Bailey worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance writer who has covered post-withdrawal Afghanistan extensively, primarily in the Washington Examiner. Follow her on Instagram @BWBailey85 or Twitter @BWBailey85.
For listeners in Afghanistan:
If you would like to have your story considered for a future episode, please send us a letter about your experience to our email at [email protected]
