ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) — Six months after escaping the Taliban and fleeing to America, two Afghan sisters are rebuilding their lives in St. Louis.
In January, News 4 introduced you to Fatima and Zahra Nazari, who fled Afghanistan with their mother in August during the U.S. withdrawal from the country. A Facebook friendship with a St. Charles man from years prior was their ticket to freedom, if they were able to navigate the Kabul airport.
“We were so afraid the Taliban would find us where we were,” Zahra said. “We wore burkas and they could only see our eyes. We were at the airport for 10 days and nights trying to get through.”
The two women met St. Charles resident Andy Bass in 2019 as he was passing through their village ahead of a marathon. They stayed in touch and Bass was able to secure visas for the women, who spent several months at a military base before relocating to St. Louis.
Now, the girls are slowly beginning to build new lives. They recently got an apartment for themselves and their mother. They also landed jobs at Schnucks in Twin Oaks.
“I never thought that we would work in grocery store but it will be very good experience for first job, I really like [it],” Zahra said.
The girls submitted resumes and completed the interview process before starting work in the deli several weeks ago. They help prep, package and stock the shelves for customers.
“We came from Afghanistan to USA and it was very difficult because we start our lives from zero but now everything is very good,” Zahra said. “Our coworkers and customers are so nice and respectful, we really like working here.”
Schnucks partners with the International Institute of St. Louis to help Afghan refugees secure work. Laura Freeman, chief people officer at Schnucks, said the company has strong ties to the immigrant community, dating back to the family of its founder.
“Some of them came with really nothing, some clothes on their back, and we want to provide them an opportunity and a good start here, especially in St. Louis,” she said.
Fatima and Zahra walk to and from work most days and occasionally get a ride from coworkers and friends. Both women are excited about exploring college options in the U.S., but admit it’s complicated.
“We want to continue our education from university in Afghanistan, but it is really expensive in U.S.,” Zahra said.
Zahra’s younger sister Fatima, 17, was an elite level skier in her home country, something she hasn’t been able to do since relocating to the U.S. She enjoys working with her sister and learning about American culture.
“Everything is different here,” she said. “Our home, our life, our talking, our cultures, our jobs…everything is different. Here [it] is very good, I like it so much.”
A Go-Fund-Me has been set up to continue to help the women get on their feet. You can donate here.
