Two young Afghan women, our former interns, imparted valuable lessons on assisting refugees.

Curtis S. Chin and Laura Deal Lacey, both former U.S. Ambassador to the Asian Development Bank and the inaugural Milken Institute Asia Fellow, respectively, have commented on the following.

Countries worldwide are responding as the number of refugees escaping Ukraine exceeds 3 million.

Over 1.8 million Ukrainians have been welcomed in Poland, while Hungary, Germany, and Spain, among other countries, have opened their borders to them. Even Japan, which typically takes in very few refugees, has made efforts to establish a support system for Ukrainians seeking refuge.

Amid the focus on the new wave of refugees, it is crucial that government, business, and community leaders remember the struggles of Afghan refugees. The news is currently preoccupied with Covid-19 concerns, job and inflation worries, and the situation in Ukraine.

The UNHCR reported in 2021 that there were 2.6 million registered Afghan refugees worldwide, with 2.2 million of them residing in Iran and Pakistan. Additionally, 3.5 million Afghans were internally displaced and seeking refuge within their own country. These numbers are expected to increase.

The Milken Institute hosts a class of 15 to 20 interns in Asia, attracting rising stars from Southeast Asia and developing economies across the Indo-Pacific region. The program has included interns from Afghanistan.

Our former interns were evacuated from Afghanistan after the withdrawal of U.S. forces last year. We tracked their journey from Kabul airport to refugee camps to resettlement.

Both young women are now safe and healthy. One is beginning her life in Finland and learning to adapt to the winter in Helsinki, while the other moved to Tempe, Arizona, in the United States. She is studying, along with more than 60 other young Afghan women, at Arizona State University as part of a resettlement partnership co-sponsored by the International Rescue Committee and ASU.

3 lessons on how to help

How can anyone help refugees who have moved beyond refugee camps and are now building new lives, regardless of their personal connection to Afghanistan or Ukraine? Our experience and lessons learned from our former interns suggest ways to do so.

To effectively assist in urgent situations, first, research reputable organizations that offer aid and determine how you or your organization can contribute, whether through financial donations or volunteering your time and expertise.

Mental health support is as critical as jobs, housing, and education for those who fled Afghanistan. Similar to those fleeing Ukraine, many may experience "survivors guilt" due to concerns over family members and friends left behind. Small and medium sized enterprises and organizations can play a key role at the local, community level.

Government, business, and not-for-profit organizations are providing assistance, but programs need to be scaled up and sustainably resourced.

The Gateway Program by World Education Services evaluates the educational background of displaced Afghans with limited evidence of their academic achievements, enabling eligible individuals to pursue further education, obtain licenses, and advance in their careers in the US.

Since August 2021, the United States has welcomed over 80,000 Afghans who were forced to flee their country. The International Rescue Committee has resettled 10,000 of these new arrivals. Approximately 90% of the 80,000 airlifted to the United States have been moved off military bases and resettled in American communities, with the help of $13 billion in government spending, according to the Washington Post.

Many of the Afghans who arrived in the United States since August are at risk of deportation because their arrival was rushed under humanitarian parole, an emergency status that grants the right to work and live in the U.S. for two years but does not lead to permanent residency.

To effectively address the needs of refugees, it is important to stay engaged and learn more about their home country, such as Afghanistan or Ukraine. This knowledge can be used to leverage your voice and platforms to address important geopolitical issues and encourage legislative or policy changes, as well as bilateral and multilateral support for those most at risk and left behind.

The Asian Development Bank approved $405 million in grants to support food security and essential health and education services for the Afghan people in January, as the situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate and hunger and misery rise following the U.S. departure.

The ADB will provide direct financing support to four U.N. agencies with a presence and logistics in Afghanistan for immediate humanitarian aid. This support will be implemented through agencies such as UNICEF and the World Food Programme and their partner NGOs.

We have been fortunate to have worked with two of the tens of thousands of Afghans who fled their country as interns. These individuals helped us understand the human impact of the ongoing tragedy and garnered support for their fellow refugees.

Our colleagues at the Milken Institute donated to the Arizona State University Foundation's Educational Futures for Afghan Refugees Program. As both of us have spent part of our childhoods in Arizona and one of us has family dating back to 1898 in what was then the territory of Arizona, it was particularly rewarding to see Arizona play a key role in helping young Afghan women in their journey to independence in the United States.

It has been heartwarming to see friends, family, and professional acquaintances offer financial assistance and mentorships to young women studying and considering potential career paths in the United States. Similarly, our intern in Finland has experienced a similar experience as friends and strangers alike have extended our reach in finding support on the ground in Helsinki.

We can all contribute to making refugees feel welcome by working together in our respective roles in business, government, civil society, and local communities.