Sohaila’s Story: Finding Safety and Welcome After Escaping War Twice

Sohaila never thought she would have to flee her country again.

The first time, she was a child in Afghanistan, holding tightly to her parents as they escaped war.

“There were bombs and bullets everywhere,” she said. “I remember thinking: Where are we going? What is happening? Am I going to lose my parents?”

Her family ended up in a refugee camp, where daily life meant waiting for water, food, and for something to change. Years later, Sohaila returned to Afghanistan as an adult and rebuilt her life in Kabul. She went to college, earned a law degree, and found purpose in advocating for women’s rights. It became her mission, but also made her a target. She received serious threats, and the danger became impossible to ignore.

“People warned me to stop,” she said. “But how do you stop fighting for your people?”

Eventually, staying was no longer an option, so she packed what she could and made the difficult decision to leave with her husband and young son.

“I lost everything, my career, my country, my community,” she said. “Once again, I became a refugee.”

This time, Sohaila arrived in Colorado Springs. It was safe but unfamiliar in every way.

“I didn’t understand the system. Even simple things like opening a bank account, taking a bus, and buying food felt so overwhelming,” she said.

At the grocery store, she remembers standing still, trying not to cry because nothing felt like home. At the same time, she worried constantly about her son—whether he would feel comfortable and like he belonged.

“Those were some of the hardest days of my life.”

Things began to change when she connected with Global Refuge affiliate Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains, who helped her family find housing, navigate paperwork, and enroll her son in school. 

“They saw us not just as refugees, but as people with potential,” she said.

With time, her son began to smile again, and Sohaila started to find her footing. Today, she works in resettlement herself, as a case manager for Global Refuge, helping others navigate the same challenges she once faced.

“I want to be that support for others, just as someone was for me.”