Interviews are an integral part of many things done by individuals done to protect and assist refugees

and asylum seekers. Some of the reasons that these interviews are done is to provide them with
counseling, seeking lasting solutions and documenting the violation of human rights. I conducted an
interview with a refugee who just came to the country some years ago to escape violence and war from
his country (Afghanistan). The refugee together with many others were assisted by the NGOs and other
will wishers to move to the US to escape war and violence following the refusal of Taliban government
to hand over the terrorist leader Osama bin Landen. The purpose of the interview wa to gather
information from the individual who was affected to understand the challenges and prospects of
refugees in the US. The interviewee, who was my key informant was selected among may other
refugeees from Afghanistan who I believed had rich information about the issue. The interviewee had
bee in the US for more than 2 years as a refugee following the political wrangles in Afghanistan between
Taliban an dthe government.

The Background of the Interviee

Church is a powerful organization in most societies as it provides a place for worship for the Cristian
believers. The interviewee (Mr. Mongo) whom I interviewed was a former Catholic Church leader in
Afghanistan. It is good to notice that in Afghanistan, the dominat religion is Muslim, but there are few
Catholic Churches attended by few Christian belivers in the country. Mr Mongo was one of the Christian
believers and a leader in one of the Catholic churches in the country. He said “I lived in Kabul for more
than 30 years, and I was a ster suppoerter of peace; therefore, I always urged the government to restore
peace in the region”. Being a church leader, Mr. Mongo held an important position of trying to urge the
government on the need to end the violence, establish peace so that people could work, live in harmony
aand build the economy of the country. He be;lieved that the militarization of the country was the main
cause of the backwardness among the Afghans. This is confirmed from the assertion by () that “the
escalating militarization of the economy is one major cause of unemployment and of the scandalous
levels of unemployment for the black people.” He became the informer of the authority on the hideouts
of the local terrorists, which made him a target by the terrorist. During the interview, Mr. Mongo
informed me thata he ad a family of 3 children, his wife, and parents. On realizing that he was being
targeted by the local Taliban assailants, he had to plan and leave the country for his safety and that of
his family.

During the interview, mr. Mongo informed me that the terrorist had only began the mission to finsh his
family. They started it by hijacking his eleder son who had just finished his high school. They drove the
son all the way from the town they live, and dropped him in a dirt road about 600 km from their home.
Until today, the son still has a scare in his forehead, where he was hit with a gun by one of the
assailants. He said “my son almost lost his life in the hands of the assailants, as a way of revenge.”
Freeing the country and seek refuge in the US was the only option left for Mr. Mongo. He sought for
help from World Vision, and international organization that was rescuing people affected by the war
and violence ib the country. It is then that he was flown to the US, where he has been living to as a
refugee in the last two years. Mr. Mongo thought challenges would come to an end when he came to
the US. However, new chyallenges such as racism and language barrier followed him. He could barely
speak proper English, and all the money he had been spent in the process of settling in the US. With the
little money he was given as donatoions, he started a small business in the region, that sustains him
together with help from international NGOs. According to (), “it is imperative that we reevaluate of
faiure to participate in peace movement that commensurate with our peace sentiments.”

Analysis of the interview

My interview with the refugee (Mr. Mongo) focused the journey to the US, his hopes and realities, and
the advice, suggestion or recommendation he would give to the government and other refuges. Before,
I started the interview with Mr. Mongo, I had to ensure he was comfortable as much as possible with
the questions. Therefore, I ensured that the interview followed the necessary ethical considerations
such as giving a clear objective, which was to gather information that would help in counseling, seeking
lasting solutions and documenting the violation of human rights. I also ensure that the interviee
answered the questions he felt comfortable with, and did it voluntarily without coecing him. In ensuring
that my interview provided as much information as possible, I arranged my interview questions in the
following format.

Motivation for Migration

After establishing a good rapport with the refugee interviewee, and knowing him, I started by asking him
the factors that motivated him to migrate and become a refugee in the US. At this juncture, the
refugees interviewee explained to me in details that is motivation was to protect his life and that of his
family from the terrorist who were targeting him. In explaining the motivating factors, the interviewee
indicated that his hopes in life was to see the economy of the Afganistan thrive and the minority religion
live in peace. On equiring why he chose to cometo the US ; instead of any other country, he told me that
he thought the US was the safest country for the refugees, because the access to medical facilities, food
and education is easier.

The journey

My interview with the refugee addressed the issue of the whole journey until today. Therefore, in this
case, I asked the refugees about the people he came with, the most difficult part of leaving the country,
the situation in the US, the most difficult part in sesttling in the US as a refugees, the surprises, what he
mises about Afghanistan, who was the most helpsful in getting him settled, and how the migration has
changed him. In this section of the interview, the refugee informed me that he came with his nuclear
family and part of the extended family, who he thought would be targeted by the terrorist. The most
difficult part of leaving the country was that he had to leave the investments he had for many years, and
the Chritain believers that he served. On arriving in the US, the most difficult situation he encountered
was leaving with a formal job, relying on donations, and securing a good school for his children.
However, he was surprised that the US government takes care of refugees healtha and education free of
charge, which has enabled his children continue with their education. The most helpful organization in
his journey was the World Vision that rescued him, and the UNHCR that has been supporting the refuges
with food donations, health and education. The refugee indicated that being a refugee has changed his
life because, he used to pay education, health and provide for his family. However, today, he depends
on donatioions to meet most of his obligations. He hpes that in future, refugees will be recognized as
fully citizens of the US to help them access equal opportunities like any othr citizen, to enable them
work and live in the US without any hinderances.

Conclusion

My interview with a refugee (Mr. Mongo) made me learn some of the motivating factors that brings
many refugees in the US, their journery, hopes and relaitiess. The purposes of the interviewe was to
seek information that world help refugees get counseling, seeking lasting solutions and documenting the
violation of human rights. I gathered that most refugees are victims of war and human rights violation
from their countries. Mr. Mongo escaped threats for terrorists who claiamedthat he was exposing their
hideouts to the government. Fromm the interview, it was established that refugees encounter different
challenges such as unemployment ad access to good education and helath fromtheir camps. However,
those refuges with resources are able to settle and invest in businesses in the US. The government of the
US need to provide equal opportunities to the refuges to allow them work and invest in the country to
make their lives easiser. From the interview, I learned that the work ethics, the hope, curiosity and
willingness to improve their life and their families, makes many refuges rresort to settle in the US;
instead of other countries.