Leaving Fear Behind: Zainab’s Journey from Hardship to Hope

Herat - At 50 years old, Zainab* had endured more hardships than most. In 2022, she left Kabul with her family, hoping for a better future in Iran. Financial struggles had pushed her husband, a small shop owner, to sell everything they owned and migrate. But instead of opportunity, they found only more hardship.

“Shortly after arriving in Iran, my husband fell gravely ill. Doctors diagnosed him with stomach cancer,” Zainab recalled. The cost of treatment was overwhelming. For a year and a half, she did everything she could to keep his treatment. But despite her efforts, he passed away, leaving her alone with their two sons and no means to survive.

Zainab’s eldest son, 22-year-old Yama*, faced additional challenges. Though healthy as a child, a severe head injury at the age of four left him with mental health issues and vision impairment. The responsibility of providing for the family fell on Zainab and her younger son, who was just 16.

Determined to make ends meet, Zainab began preparing Bolani, a traditional Afghan stuffed flatbread, which her younger son sold in the market. She managed for a month, but when she could no longer work, her teenage son Yahya* had to take over. He found a job in a supermarket, earning a meager income for nearly a year.

Life in Iran was filled with fear and uncertainty. “One day, while attending a small gathering in Karaj, Yama stepped outside. The Iranian police noticed him and arrested him,” Zainab said. Desperate to free him, she and her younger son went to the police station—only to be detained themselves.

For hours, they remained in a crowded detention center, unable to sleep and surrounded by other detained Afghan migrants. Their belongings were confiscated, and during their transfer, they were forced to buy overpriced food from a roadside restaurant, worsening their financial struggles. After 24 hours of exhaustion and distress, they were forcibly deported to Afghanistan.

“Standing at the border, I felt a mix of emotions—relief after detention, but also deep uncertainty about what awaited us in Afghanistan,” Zainab said.

When they arrived at IOM’s reception center in Islam Qala, they were screened for vulnerabilities and provided with food and refreshments before being transported to an IOM transit center for further support.

At the transit center, migrants receive overnight accommodation, food, healthcare, and female care kits. Vulnerable undocumented returnees, like Zainab and her family, also receive specialized protection support. 

“The first thing I did was take Yama to the doctor. IOM helped him get the medication he needed. I also sought medical care for myself because I was struggling mentally and emotionally from everything we had been through,” Zainab shared.

“At the IOM transit center, I felt a sense of peace I had not known in a long time. There was a warm room, food to eat, and, most importantly, safety. That night, I slept without fear. In Iran, I lived every day afraid of being arrested. Here, I finally feel safe. It will not be easy, but at least I have a chance to rebuild my life,” she said.

Zainab’s story is not unique. She is one of more than 1.2 million Afghans who were forcibly returned from Iran in 2024 alone.

Between October 2023 and December 2024, IOM, with support from EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), provided post-arrival humanitarian assistance to more than 190,000 vulnerable Afghan returnees from Iran and Pakistan across eight reception and transit centers.

*Names have been changed to protect identities.  

This story was written by Zuhal Nabi and Marjan Wafa, and edited by Avand Azeez Agha.

For more information, please contact: iomafghanistanmediacomm@iom.int