Zarlasht Halaimzai knows well the traumatic effects that war can create on people’s physical and mental health. She was just a child when she experienced violence and war in her home country, Afghanistan, and when her family decided to escape in search of a safer place.

In the Ted Talk called What it’s like to be a war refugee, Zarlasht tells us about her story as a war refugee and the long-lasting effects that this type of experiences have on the physical and mental health of people. In her talk, Zarlasht explains how war affects the whole person, their body, their mind and their spirit. This is true even for those who manage to escape to safe places. Fear, stress and trauma are constantly present in their daily lives and this has a significant impact on their overall health, making them more likely to suffer from cancer, heart disease, diabetes, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, among other disorders.

Witnessing this suffering and being aware of the lack of resources available to war survivors were the main reasons that inspired Zarlasht to become an advocate for refugee rights, a writer and the founder of Amna, an organization created to provide support and healing networks to refugees experiencing the trauma of war and force displacement. 

To learn more about Zarlasht’s experience and her initiative to offer support and healing to those suffering from the consequences of war and violence, click here.

Image Credits:
Feature Image: RosZie, On Pixabay. Creative Commons.