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A Beacon of Hope
The Successful Rescue and Evacuation of a Pakistani Hindu Girl to Uganda
Introduction
In the face of adversity, the strength of human spirit often shines brightest. This was proven true in the remarkable journey of 21-year-old Neha, a Hindu girl from the Pakistani Hindu community. Amid escalating ethnic violence in her homeland, Neha and her family made a courageous decision to seek safety and a better life. Today, we share her inspiring tale of resilience and the pivotal role our NGO, Saras.Care, played in orchestrating her successful rescue, evacuation, and ultimate asylum in Uganda.
The Catalyst
The catalyst for their flight was a harrowing incident wherein Neha’s neighbour’s domestic help attempted to kidnap her. This chilling occurrence spurred Neha’s parents to action. 3 young girls from minority community are kidnapped everyday in Pakistan, and married off to the kidnapper. Soon after, the family experienced further threats from the local Islamist groups. These attacks, fuelled by religious discrimination, deepened their sense of insecurity and galvanized their decision to leave their home. They took the brave step of fleeing with Neha and her two siblings, leaving behind the familiarity of their surroundings, their cherished memories, all their assets, their home and their beloved pet puppy to embark on a journey into the unknown.
The Intervention
We were informed of the family by a social worker based out of Pakistan, Mr. Sanjesh. Responding to the family’s plight, Saras.Care took swift action. As an NGO dedicated to protecting vulnerable individuals, our primary goal was to ensure the safety of the family and expedite their evacuation.
Empowerment through Traineeship
Recognizing that the journey to safety was not just about relocation but also about ensuring a self-sustainable future, we offered Neha and her adult brother training on projects related to media, marketing, and finance. These trainings were held during the time they were waiting for visa processing for Uganda. The training aimed to provide them with relevant skills, including office etiquette and conversational business English skills that would prove invaluable in their new home and potentially improve their employability.
The Journey
We then embarked on the demanding task of securing visas for the family. The initial visas were funded by our own volunteers who also doubled-up as donors to help the family. Visa process involved complex negotiations and administrative tasks, but our team was relentless, spurred on by the understanding that every moment mattered. The bureaucratic obstacles were significant, yet we knew the paperwork was essential in securing the family’s future safety in Uganda.
The Setback
However, this crucial 
phase of securing visas and ensuring the family’s safe passage to Uganda was compromised by an unscrupulous agent. The agent defrauded a well-meaning donor of a significant sum, purportedly for the family’s relocation, before vanishing. This act of deceit not only betrayed the trust of our generous donor but also left a financial void that impacted Neha and her family deeply. The agent’s immoral action also led Saras.Care into taking responsibility for raising funds – which was not in the original plan.
The Struggle
With the funds intended for their support stolen, the family faced considerable hardship upon landing in Uganda. Tho
ugh they were given rations for the first 2 weeks by the volunteers on the ground, they had no money to pay for food subsequently once the rations ran out. They went hungry, a disheartening experience for any family trying to establish a sense of normalcy in unfamiliar surroundings.
Hunger can break even the mentally strongest. The family started questioning their decision to seek refuge in Uganda. Our volunteers in Australia got an SOS call from the family, and we had no option but to spring into action. Our team worked at midnight, to order food online.
This chapter of hunger repeated itself the second time after 2 weeks. It was the same sense of hopelessness then once again. That is when we decided to partner with two charities to secure food for the family. Ms. Ros Robinson from The Salvation Army used her local contacts to put us in touch with Pastor Solomon from “Feed The Hungry” charity in Kampala, Uganda. Pastor Solomon arranged for 3 weeks’ worth of rations for the family. These collaborative efforts, underscored by a universal empathy for those in need, allowed Neha’s family to persevere through these difficult times.
The Response
Despite the setback, Saras.Care was determined to not let this unfortunate incident derail the family’s journey towards a secure future. We reached out to our donors, explaining the dire circumstances that had befallen the family. The urgency and criticality of donor support were more evident than ever. With the funds initially meant for their relocation misappropriated, it was the generosity of our donors that could provide the much-needed financial lifeline.
The Support
The response to our appeal was heartening. Donors from all-over stepped forward to contribute, enabling us to raise enough money for the visa extension fees. This immense show of support underscored the power of collective compassion and proved pivotal in mitigating the effects of the unfortunate fraud.
Education and Emotional Well-being
A key concern during this period was Neha’s younger sister, who fell into a depressive state due to being out of school for an extended period. Recognizing the importance of education and the need to address her emotional well-being, Saras.Care prioritized getting her back to school. We went back to our donors, who were moved by the child’s plight. They donated generously, with which we were able to enroll her in a school, thus restoring her access to education and contributing to her recovery. She was enrolled in The School of One, an international online school accredited for IB curriculum.
The school supported the little girl with her education, and this proved crucial to her emotional well-being.
The Integration
We were fortunate enough to receive assistance from local well-wishers. Mr. Paresh Mehta, a kind-hearted local resident, provided a safe house for Neha and her family, offering them the security and stability they desperately needed. Further, Mr. Hareesh Sahadevan, a local business owner, stepped forward to provide employment to Neha’s elder brother. This thoughtful act offered the family a much-needed source of income and also facilitated their integration into the local community.
Asylum and Ups and Downs
Neha’s family needed to apply for asylum in Uganda to be recognised as refugees, and for them to further explore opportunities to live independently. This is when Sean Carr, the editor for Docklands News, provided his contact in Uganda for finding a lawyer. The contact put us in touch with a lawyer, who was engaged for 2nd visa renewal and for further asylum processing. The lawyer also arranged for a meeting of the family with the commissioner of refugees, Uganda.
With the lawyer appointed, Mr. Paresh and Mr. Hareesh providing support, the local Hindu community in Uganda stepping in, schooling arranged for Neha’s sister, and a well-paying job in hand for Neha’s elder brother, we knew that the family now was ready to pursue this journey on their own.
Now our team could focus on the next vulnerable families to rescue, who’s cases could be much alike Neha’s or be much worse and much unlike Neha’s.
The Achievement
Finally, in May 2023, after overcoming a series of challenges involving many ups and downs, Neha and her family were formally granted refugee status in Uganda. This recognition signified their legal protection and their right to stay in the country, a crucial milestone in their journey. It meant they could finally begin to rebuild their lives without the constant fear of displacement.
Thanks to Mr. Paresh, Mr. Hareesh and the local Hindu community that stepped in, Neha also now has a job. The family’s financial position has since improved.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the successful rescue and relocation of Neha and her family, despite the trials and tribulations, is a testament to the importance of NGOs like Saras.Care, and our donors, partners and our supporters in Australia, in Uganda and in other places abroad.
The indispensable role of our donors, partners, and supporters in the face of adversity, as shown in this case, emphasizes the impact that every single contribution and single intervention can have.
With your support, we continue our mission to provide aid to those most vulnerable, fighting relentlessly for a world where safety, dignity, and peace are not privileges but the rightful inheritance of every individual, irrespective of their origin. We invite you to join us in this mission, to create a world where stories like Neha’s are not exceptions but norms.
