In 2022, the Afghanistan and Central Asian Association (ACAA) opened its new branch office in Birmingham. The launch event was held on Friday 2nd December 2022. The event provided a friendly and informal space to mark the beginning of our work in the area whilst also creating an opportunity for the local community to be introduced to the organisation and the services provided. A number of ingredients would benefit from ACAA services to support the refugees’ resettlement.
Councillors and other charity organisations attended the event and shared their viewpoints to support the refugees in Birmingham. At the beginning of the launch event, Dr Nooralhaq Nasimi MBE talked about his experience of leaving Afghanistan and starting a new life with his family in the UK in 1999. Dr Nasimi, the founder of the ACAA, stated the challenges that they faced as refugees was the motivation behind the charity’s founding, aiming to help other refugees learn and adapt to life in the UK. In addition, he spoke of women’s rights in Afghanistan.
Birmingham City Councillor, John Cotton, promised their support to the ACAA and the Afghan refugees. Martin Brooks, Chair of the Planning discussed the importance of the ACAA in Birmingham and how it can best support the refugees. Qadria Saeedi, lead of the Women’s Movement of Afghanistan, talked about women’s rights in Afghanistan and how the Western world remains silent and inactive.
“We should not ignore the problems in Afghanistan by turning blind eyes. It is the 21st century and girls are not allowed to go to secondary school. The UK government should help support women’s rights and education in Afghanistan.” – Qadria Saeedi
In addition to the councillors’ speeches, Geoff Mitchell, a Local Authority Asylum Seeker and Refugee Liaison Officer, representing Adult Social Care and Health, Birmingham City Council, spoke about how we can work together to pool our resources and share as much information across organisations as possible in order to best support refugees and asylum seekers.
The Afghanistan and Central Asian Association is committed to working for refugees and asylum seekers regardless of gender, ethnicities, background, and situation in Birmingham in collaboration with the councillors and other refugee charity organisations.
Wasila Adeem, Volunteer Coordinator (Birmingham Office)
For more information about our Birmingham office services, please email birmingham@afghanistan-central-asian.org.uk