Help a 13-Year-Old Girl Access Speech Therapy

The withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan and the collapse of Afghanistan’s government into the hands of the Taliban were catastrophic for my family. My niece, Setayesh, used to be a normal introverted girl. Like many other introverts, she wanted peace and quiet. 

But everything changed. During the chaotic US evacuation, at age 9, she was traumatized, according to her mom. She began whispering her words. When she arrived in Canada, she refused to speak entirely. I met her at the airport when she, with her mom and younger brother, landed. She was a quiet girl but she gave me a hug. When I asked her, how are you? She responded, "good." That was the only word she used that day. 

A few months later, at a clinic in Saskatoon that conducted a basic screening, she was identified as autistic, but a proper and comprehensive assessment for autism has never been conducted on her so far. That is because her parents speak little English and have struggled to navigate the Canadian system. They recently moved to Calgary, Alberta, where, for the first time, the family doctor referred their child to a pediatric clinic for a comprehensive assessment.

In the meantime, her education has suffered enormously. Because she requires additional support in the classroom, schools have told the family that she needs an Educational Assistant (EA). But an EA has not always been available. Over the past three years, Setayesh has been attending for only a few hours a week.

I have been closely involved in Setayesh’s life and her family’s struggle to figure out what happened to their child and how to find services for her over the past three years. While working on my dissertation, I kept asking myself what I could do. Finally, I decided that I could no longer simply watch them struggle through the system alone.

I finally launched a fundraising campaign on GoFundMe and in the meantime,  I undertook the most physically and mentally demanding challenge of my life. Beginning on August 10th, for over 6 consecutive days, I climbed 14 of Colorado’s mountains above 14,000 feet to raise awareness and funds for Setayesh’s speech therapy and specialized education. At least two summits a day, often three or four.

Please go to the GoFundMe page and donate whatever you can to help my niece access speech therapy. Thank you!