Omid grew up in Afghanistan and lived with his father, stepmother, and extended family. He never imagined leaving, but when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021, 14-year-old Omid decided to flee to escape the turmoil and upheaval in the country.
Omid and his friends were able to board an outgoing plane during the evacuation, which took him to Qatar. He stayed on a military base there for 15 days before coming to the United States through the Operation Allies Welcome Humanitarian program.
He spent over a year in a shelter through the Office of Refugee Resettlement before being transferred to Catholic Charities Dallas’ International Foster Care program in November 2022.
While part of the IFC program, Omid received the assistance he needed to transition to life in the United States. He lived with a loving foster family and received case management services, tutoring, other educational assistance, and counseling. Omid also received legal aid for his asylum case.
The US Office of Refugee Resettlement assisted Omid’s family in finding a home in St. Louis, Missouri, this year. After more than two years apart, Omid finally reunited with his family on December 21.
Reunifying children with their families is our top priority, and it was an incredibly special and moving experience to connect Omid with his loved ones.
