Vet settles into her new life after escaping Afghanistan

An Afghan vet forced into hiding by the Taliban has escaped the country after being given the chance to resume her career and start a new life in Gambia.

In November last year, veterinary surgeon Haida (not her real name) reached out to Vet Times for help after she was hunted down by the brutal new regime in Kabul where she was living in fear for her life.

Some of her veterinary colleagues had managed to escape as part of the Nowzad evacuation, but Haida was not involved in that operation and was effectively forced to disappear.

Great risk

As a professional working woman and a Hazara Shi’a – a denomination of Islam heavily persecuted by the Taliban – Haida and her family found themselves at great risk following the sudden withdrawal of allied forces from the country last August.

Offers of support and assistance poured in, but despite this, Haida had no way of getting out of Afghanistan until the intervention of British vet Graham Duncanson, who managed to secure a visa through a contact with the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.

Now, after a dramatic border crossing into Pakistan with her family, Haida has arrived in Gambia where she hopes to volunteer with the trust before sitting her RCVS entrance exam and coming to work as a vet in the UK.

She said: “I am so happy to be here, and so thankful for all the help I have had from the kind people in the UK and the wonderful people here at the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust.

“I only met Heather [Armstrong], who runs the trust, last week, but already she is like a second mother to me and has shown me so much kindness. Heather has even given me some kittens to look after, so I am enjoying keeping them safe and well, too.

“Everyone here is so lovely and kind, and they have made me feel so welcome. It has been so hard these past few months, but now I feel safe and secure.”

Terrifying

Feeling safe and secure is a hard‑won respite for Haida after several terrifying months spent in hiding, during which she was forced to move from house to house to prevent herself falling into the clutches of the Taliban officials who sought to find her.

She had hoped to be evacuated by a US-based NGO, but when help failed to materialise and with the dragnet closing in fast, she had no choice but take matters into her own hands and risk all at the border.

Haida said: “I had my visa thanks to Graham and Heather, and the trust, but I had to get out of the country to use it. With the help of relatives, we rented a car that took us to Torkham and with their help we found a helper who was able to get us through the borders undetected.

“We had started moving at 1am and finally were able to get through the border at 3pm with lots of hardships.

“But we did get through and we made our way to Islamabad. I was in contact with Graham throughout, and he kept me calm and reassured me that I would soon be safe.”

Difficulties

Once in Islamabad, Heather Armstrong at the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust set up a JustGiving page so money could be sent to Haida and her family for accommodation, as well as a ticket for her to fly out of the country.

But despite this, the young vet still faced many difficulties securing safe passage to her western African haven.

She added: “There are many Taliban in Pakistan, too, so we had people asking us questions all the time about what we were doing there and what our intentions were.

“It was the same at the airport; I was asked so many questions about my background and why I was flying to Gambia – it was very scary.

“Many times I was turned back by officials and my flight was also cancelled, but I just kept going back to the airport and answering the same questions, and in the end I got on a flight on 16 March and flew to my new home – words are really not enough to describe what that felt like.

“I am so happy and just so thankful to everyone who has helped me.”

Continued support

Vet Times has pledged a donation to the trust, while Mr Duncanson has vowed to continue supporting Haida by offering guidance and advice to help her pass her RCVS entrance exam.

He said: “When I heard about Haida in Vet Times, I did what I could to help and made sure I stayed in contact.

“I realised how desperate her plight was, so I contacted Heather Armstrong, who runs the charity in Gambia, and she agreed to help. It was Heather who persuaded the Gambian authorities to grant the visa and she launched a JustGiving page to collect funds to purchase a ticket from Islamabad to Banjul in Gambia, together with spending money, to aid Haida on her journey.

“The plan is for Haida to work as a vet for the charity in Gambia before coming to the UK to sit her RCVS membership examination.

“Needless to say, she will receive all the support that I can possibly give her in the UK.”

To make a donation to the Gambia Horse and Donkey Trust, visit its website.