Feb. 17, Afghan Refugee Update, 1 Year Later

Air Date:
Heard On Route 51
After receiving his driver's license earlier in the year, Ahmad Samim Samimi tests out a vehicle
After receiving his driver’s license earlier in the year, Ahmad Samim Samimi tests out a vehicle for sale while talking to Fayaz Nabizada and Mike Ruminski on April 10, 2022, in Allouez, Wis. Transportation “is a critical need for people trying to become self-sufficient,” says Ruminski, who has helped local Afghan evacuees obtain driver’s licenses, enroll in English classes and connect with job specialists. Sarah Kloepping/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin

More than a year has passed since Afghans fled Kabul on evacuation flights and were eventually resettled in communities throughout Wisconsin. While America’s Dairyland and the Middle East may be thousands of miles apart, Wisconsin communities have stepped up to help hundreds of refugees begin a new life in America, connecting them with jobs, language training, medical care and other essential resources.

Shereen Siewert welcomes Eric Yonke, from the Ethiopian Community Development Council, and Dr. Erik Anderson, from the council’s co-sponsorship program, to reflect on the challenges and triumphs of the past year and discuss the ways in which communities can continue to ease the transition.

Episode Credits

  • Shereen Siewert Host
  • Rick Reyer Producer
  • Joy Ratchkramer Producer
  • Kate Spranger Producer
  • Dr. Erik Anderson Guest
  • Eric Yonke Guest

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