Announcement
Photo: Nisha Datt for the IRC
Humble beginnings
Naimat grew up in a small province in Afghanistan called Ghazni with his parents, three sisters, one brother, and his uncles. The land his family owned flourished with trees that grew apricots and apples.
Attending school brought Naimat so much joy that he walked over an hour to school every day. "Something was in me making me want to study," he shared. His favorite subject was math. "Mathematics is all about rules. If you know a formula, you can solve anything," he added. After completing sixth grade, Naimat and his family moved to Ghazni City.
Being the oldest child in the family came with its fair share of responsibilities after his father passed away when he was in the eleventh grade. "Luckily, in Afghanistan, we lived as a joint family, so my uncles were there, and they supported us during that hard time," he expressed. After completing his high school education, Naimat got accepted to a university in Bangalore, India, where he pursued his Bachelor's degree in Business Management, specializing in Finance.
He returned to Afghanistan three years later and served as the Deputy Director of Capacity Building and Communication for USAID in Kabul. "I supported the Director of Capacity Building in planning, coordinating, and managing USAID-funded training programs for the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum (MoMP)," he explained. Naimat was not able to visit family for months due to safety concerns. "It was difficult for me to visit my family - traveling from Kabul to Ghazni was dangerous. If the Taliban found out that I was working with the Americans, they would get me," he said.
Good-bye for now
Due to limited opportunities in Afghanistan, he hoped to further his education in the U.S. Naimat applied for a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), which he had heard about from his colleagues at USAID. "[The process] went so fast. Within eight months, everything was ready," he shared. Wanting to be considerate of his family, Naimat postponed his travel.
He frequently spoke with his family about this opportunity to travel to the United States for his Master's Degree. "I was always saying that it's not a final decision -- I may come back. I'll go there and see how it goes," he recalled. In November of 2014, Naimat arrived in Phoenix, Arizona.
His caseworker from Lutheran Social Services greeted him at the airport and helped settle him. The Arizona heat immediately hit him. When Naimat and his caseworker arrived at the complex where he would be staying, he noticed some Afghan community members playing soccer.
[My caseworker] said, "You can join their game if you want."
I said, "This is too hot for me!" Naimat said.
The first few months were difficult for Naimat. He was alone, and he missed his family dearly. "I missed everything about my family, the culture -- everything was new [here]," he expressed.
Even with his educational background and prior work experience, Naimat found it challenging to secure a job that matched his skill set. "I was going for the interviews, and everything was going smoothly, and then I got those rejection letters -- some even said I was overqualified," he shared.
It took Naimat about six months to land his first job as a coordinator for CVS Health, where he assisted with processing paperwork and checks digitally, among other responsibilities. During that time, he also researched universities he would like to apply to. In 2018, Grand Canyon University accepted his admission to their Accountancy Master's program.
With dreams of starting his own tax and accounting business, Naimat needed to figure out where to begin. "I had this in my mind that I should start my own business because I see a lot of need for tax and accounting services in my community," he said. After graduating, he learned more about running a business through research and work experience. "When it came putting those theories into practice, it was hard," he shared.
Introduction to the IRC
Through an event held at the Sheraton Hotel, Naimat came across the International Rescue Committee (IRC), where he learned about the various services offered to community members. "I needed my [business] registration with the state of Arizona. I was so confused and didn't know where to start...the IRC helped me connect the dots." he shared. The IRC shared informational articles that outlined the steps one can take to start a business in Arizona. "There are thousands of articles about starting a business, but when I got that article from IRC, that was something I could trust," he added.
Naimat proudly launched his business in the summer of last year, Advanced Tax and Accounting Solutions, LLC, where he assists clients with their tax and accounting needs. With the help of social media, Naimat has developed valuable connections within the community and across the country. "I have a lot of clients from NY and Arizona, and I am hopeful for 2024," he shared.
Happily settled with his wife, whom he reunited with over two years ago, and baby boy, Naimat is building roots in Phoenix. It has been almost ten years since he left Afghanistan with the intention to return home. "I never made it back to Afghanistan, but I hope I can one day visit my family," he said.
Help make their dreams a reality
Through the International Rescue Committee's (IRC's) Economic Empowerment (EE) programs, we support and empower refugee entrepreneurs like Naimat in Arizona who bring their talents and ambition to build a better life for themselves and their loved ones and contribute to Arizona's growing economy.
Together, we can make #RefugeesWelcome, achieve their dreams, and thrive in their new home. This year, the IRC in Arizona anticipates welcoming over 1350 refugees. With your generous contribution, you can directly impact the lives of these talented and hard-working individuals and help us make their dreams a reality.
Photo: Photo courtesy of Naimat