Welcome Afghan Refugees to St. Louis 

Afghan refugees have faced tremendous challenges and dangers as they uplifted their lives and their families to come to America. We here in St. Louis wholeheartedly welcome all Afghan refugees who are already in St. Louis and others who want to come.  We’re not just talking about it, but have a tremendously welcoming community, hundreds of volunteers, and over 80 organizations helping meet you and your family’s needs. In addition, members of the Afghan community who have built their lives here for many years are deeply involved in assisting recent arrivals. 

But, there’s much more. No city in America offers the programs and support that St. Louis offers. These include the many components that will enable you and your family to build your lives in St. Louis. It’s called the Afghan Support Program.  It is administered by the International Institute of St. Louis, and includes: 

A major housing fund enabling Afghan refugees to find suitable and affordable housing; 

An Afghan Community Center, which is newly established and thriving on South Grand Boulevard; 

An Afghan Chamber of Commerce to help Afghan entrepreneurs to start businesses in St. Louis; 

I-Pads and 2 years of cell phone service for Afghan families; 

Computer coding classes for 12 weeks of programming; 

Business grants of $15,000 to recent Afghan arrivals to start businesses through a competition; 

Soccer programs for Afghan children; 

A native Afghan coordinator, Moji Sidiqi, to work with refugees to help them with the program; 

This newspaper, the Afghan Journal, to provide important information about St. Louis and Afghanistan. 

We didn’t wait for this program to take years to develop. It is fully in place and fully funded, which gives a head start to Afghan refugees to build the institutions needed to make St. Louis their home. 

The Afghan Support Program is administered by the International Institute of St. Louis, which plays a key role in facilitating the integration of Afghan refugees into the local community. The Institute offers a range of vital services, including housing assistance, employment training, English language classes, business loans that can add to the grants above, and cultural orientation. A recent very successful EID festival was a part of making Afghan refugees feel “at home” in their new home. All of this is happily provided to ensure that Afghan refugees have a strong foundation from which they can rebuild their lives in St. Louis. 

What sets St. Louis apart is its focus on long-term sustainability and self-sufficiency for refugees. The city’s innovative approach includes a robust job placement program, connecting Afghan refugees with local employers who are actively seeking to diversify their workforce. Another supportive organization, The Mosiac Project, helps place Afghan refugees obtain jobs. Good paying jobs for Afghan refugees have been plentiful.  

We in St. Louis recognize the need for support, but we also know that we as a community have a need for the Afghan refugees as well. Unlike other cities, we feel we need the vitality, diversity, talent and skills of Afghan refugees. You add much to our city, strengthen our neighborhoods, and build our economy. 

St. Louis also recognizes the importance of education in empowering Afghan refugees for a brighter future. The St. Louis Public Schools offer specialized programs for Afghan children to learn English, and greatly values Afghan students within the education system. to The United States government has recognized that St. Louis stands apart from any other American city for its program of support for  welcoming Afghan refugees with open arms, and providing the deep support needed to build a strong, vibrant Afghan community in SLouis. 

We want the Afghan community to grow and for everyone to tell friends and relatives throughout the United States and in Afghanistan as well that St. Louis is here for you!