Local News

Custom-built bunk beds ready in homes for Afghan refugees

Afghan families arriving in the Triangle after evacuating their country when the Taliban regained control are able to sleep under the same roof thanks to volunteers building bunk beds.
Posted 2021-11-25T15:50:13+00:00 - Updated 2021-11-26T04:51:42+00:00

Afghan families arriving in the Triangle after evacuating their country when the Taliban regained control are able to sleep under the same roof thanks to volunteers building bunk beds.

Over several weeks this fall, members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh worked on the building project using space inside Raleigh LIttle Theatre.

"Our people really like to hands-on make a difference," said Pat McLaughlin with the church’s Immigrant & Refugee Justice Team.

The volunteers sawed, sanded and stained wood to build the bunk beds using a design provided by Welcome House Raleigh. Afghan families stay at Welcome House locations for temporary housing as they resettle in the Triangle.

"They can fit more children and family members into a regular bedroom and have a normal life," said McLaughlin.

Members of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship organized this project. They were able to get a lot of the lumber and supplies donated.

"You get a group of people together who don’t know how to do it, but they know they can do it and you make it happen," said volunteer Amy Blackwell.

Members of the Muslim Student Association (MSA) at Wake Early College of Health & Sciences joined in on the building project.

"We’re so fortunate to be living in a country like the United States, and other people obviously don’t have that kind of privilege," said MSA member Surour Khan.

MSA member Razi Sayyed volunteered his time over several days. He says the project was personal since he shares a faith with the families who will sleep in the bunk beds.

"Dealing with misconceptions is the best thing I think to coming out and helping with projects like these," said Sayyed.

Those volunteers expected to finish 16 bunk beds that will go into Welcome House locations.

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