English teacher who ran from Taliban finds place to live

• English teacher who ran from the Taliban finds a place to live.
• Shams had been in Indonesia since escaping Afghanistan in Dec 2014.
• Shams traveled to Jakarta for a medical examination.

A 21-year-old Afghan who had fled the Taliban alone as a teenager. At that time, Shams was stuck in a refugee camp in Indonesia, one of the millions worldwide facing a slim chance of starting anew. Now, four years later, he shares his own journey.

Shams sat on the cement steps inside Batam’s International Ferry Terminal in Indonesia on the afternoon of November 8, 2021. It was just a short walk from the refugee shelter where he resided, offering an escape from the camp’s dim, windowless rooms.

Two cargo ships were unloading sacks of rice and flour across the terminal. The sea’s warm salty waves splashed against the cement wall, providing a moment of respite.

Shams found a bench at the terminal’s east end, under the shade of a coconut tree with no destination in mind. From there, he could observe ferries filled with tourists departing for Singapore, visible just across the water. He drifted into a world of imagination, yearning for freedom.

Eventually, the shelter’s 6 pm curfew forced him back to its cramped quarters. In an attempt to distract himself, he checked his phone and found an email.

The email was from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Shams had been in Indonesia since escaping Afghanistan in December 2014, at the age of 15.

His journey had begun when Taliban gunmen hijacked his bus in Kabul, where he was working at an English-language school. They targeted him as the “English teacher.”

A stranger intervened, saving Shams’ life. However, it was a turning point that made him realize he had to leave Afghanistan during the ordeal. He embarked on a journey that took him through Delhi, Kuala Lumpur, and a perilous voyage across the Strait of Malacca in a wooden boat. By 2016, he found himself in Pontianak, a prison camp for asylum seekers.

Resettlement opportunities from Indonesia to third countries, facilitated by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), were extremely limited. Individual resettlement offers were almost non-existent, leaving Shams in a state of uncertainty.

Shams began to write a blog about the living conditions of refugees, shedding light on the plight of those, like him, who were trapped during his time in the camp. Although his audience was small, it was supportive. He received a message from Renee Oettershagen in Canada, who had read his work and wanted to help in 2018.

He connected her with friends in Australia who shared the same goal of aiding him in leaving Indonesia and leading a life as a full-fledged citizen, free from the constraints of an asylum seeker.

They discovered that Shams was eligible to apply for permanent residency in Canada under the Group of Five program through their efforts. This initiative allowed groups of Canadians living in a community to sponsor a refugee recognized by the UNHCR, which Shams was.

They needed to secure 16,500 Canadian dollars (£9,825) in a bank account to cover his first year’s living expenses in Canada to initiate the process. This sum appeared daunting, but then came an incredible moment. Renee and her husband, Bill, offered to provide Shams with a place to stay in one of their empty bedrooms, a generous gesture that significantly alleviated the financial burden.

Shams was filled with laughter, appreciating the kindness and support he had received even as he faced the guard’s anger that day. With the assurance of accommodation, they only needed to raise 8,000 CAD, which was accomplished through contributions from his Australian friends. Additionally, they sought three more Canadians to join the Group of Five.

Wendy Noury Long, along with her husband and son, joined the team, and in January 2020, they submitted Shams’ application to the Canadian government.

Shams received an email from the IOM while sitting at the Batam ferry terminal on November 8, 2021 almost two years later. The message informed him that his flight was scheduled to move to Jakarta for medical examination and biometric processing at the Canadian embassy, the final steps before departing Indonesia for Canada.

The realization that he was about to leave Indonesia for Canada set in, filling Shams with a mix of emotions. The news was like a breath of fresh air, and he couldn’t wait to return to the shelter before the 6 pm curfew.

A local man referred to him as “Orang Migran,” a refugee man as he walked back to the shelter. These words felt like a congratulatory acknowledgement of his eight-year journey through detention. The trees lining the road seemed to join in the celebration.

The following day, Shams traveled to Jakarta for a medical examination, and two months later, he completed his biometrics at the Canadian embassy. The entire process felt surreal, and he could hardly contain his excitement.

Shams’ flight to Canada was scheduled for March 3, 2022. As the IOM dropped him off at Jakarta’s airport, he couldn’t believe he was on the verge of this life-changing journey.

Clutching the travel documents and ticket issued by the Canadian government, he checked them repeatedly to ensure their authenticity. Meanwhile, he remained alert, half-expecting immigration officers to send him back to the refugee shelter.

The moment finally came when the call for the flight was announced. Unlike his previous experiences in detention camps, there were no accompanying immigration officers. Shams had more freedom and autonomy, which was both thrilling and bewildering.

Shams, although tired and sleep-deprived, couldn’t bring himself to rest during the layover at Istanbul Airport. The anxiety of being late for the IOM’s midday pickup nagged at him.

Now, having been awake for 30 hours, he was about to board the plane, holding the ticket issued by the Canadian government. As the plane departed, he watched the screen displaying their location. The realization that he was leaving Indonesia after eight years was slowly sinking in.

Shams’ heart raced with excitement as he beheld the snowy landscape of Toronto during the descent, while everyone else appeared composed. The moment he had dreamt of for years was arriving.

The plane touched down, and as he disembarked, he felt a profound difference. Unlike his transfers between detention centers in Indonesia, he was not accompanied by guards. He was finally free.

Shams was met by his sponsors, who held a sign that read “Welcome Shams” walking through the airport gate. Their warm welcome amid the cold outside made him feel truly alive.

These sponsors had only known him through their online interactions, yet they opened their hearts to welcome him into their community.

Shams had spent eight years in detention, blogging anonymously about the living conditions of refugees. His use of a pen name was a safety precaution.

But now, in this moment of freedom, people called him by his real name, acknowledging his existence and identity. He was no longer invisible, no longer labeled as an “illegal” or reduced to a mere number.

His escape from the Taliban’s threat had led to eight years of detention in Indonesia, but thanks to his sponsors and their friends, he was finally free.

Shams Erfan, at the age of 25, is a permanent resident in Canada, with plans to take the Canadian citizenship test in 18 months todau. He serves as a writer-in-residence

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