Abdul Karim is on a pathway to his American dream with the support of New American Pathways’ Forward program.
Having supported the U.S. military in Afghanistan, Abdul Karim’s life was in danger. He fled his home country and, in 2014, received a Special Immigrant Visa to come alone to the United States. New American Pathways brought him to safety and stability through resettlement, employment and other referral services.
Today he is working as a security guard and his English is advanced – along with his Dari, Farsi and Pashto. But, Abdul Karim is interested in creating a new career pathway in Information Technology, so he came back for help. Through Forward, he received vocational and education counseling to identify his area of interest, develop a road map to success and apply for school.
He has just been accepted to Georgia Piedmont Technical College in their Computer Science program, where he will explore a new career in computer programming. Abdul Karim looks forward to his professional journey ahead.
“I always leave New AP with a smile,” Abdul Karim has said to our staff. “You are like my mother and father here.”
Next year, he’ll be eligible for citizenship, and we hope to be congratulating him as a new U.S. citizen at our 2019 Red, White and NEW gala! In the meantime, you can meet Abdul Karim on August 18 at this year’s event. He will share his story as we raise funds for the Forward program.
Can’t attend the event but want to support New AP’s services for people like Abdul Karim? You can donate online and dedicate funds to our Forward program.
What IS Forward?
New AP’s Forward program provides quality professional development coaching and resources to help people like Abdul Karim advance in their career and education pathways. We help them:
- Advance their English and soft skills
- Enroll in college or vocational school
- Get jobs that align with their career goals
- Build a professional network of mentors and peers
- Fulfill high-demand jobs in Georgia
Forward restores hope for displaced people who want to use their education and skills to become a valuable part of the American economy and community.