The Other Side of the Sky

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Afghanistan, Then and Now: Public Policymaking and The Refugee Experience in a New Era”

In this activity, students will be in the driver’s seat of American policymaking, attempting to find new and inventive policies that aid Afghan refugees like Ahmedi.

The Other Side of the Sky is an inspirational story of Ahmedi’s incredible resilience, her strength, and her resourcefulness; but it is also a story of how, in the face of a humanitarian crisis, many governments have poorly-structured bureaucratic and political systems that are ill-equipped to handle incoming refugees with the dignity and care they deserve.

Since Ahmedi and her mother fled Afghanistan, much has changed in both Afghanistan and in America. Notably in 2021, the Biden administration made the momentous decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan after nearly 20 years, and the country returned to Taliban rule.

Reflect on the kinds of social programs Ahmedi and her mother might have accessed that would have helped alleviate some of their struggles in acclimating to the US. Taking into consideration the latest developments in Afghanistan, create a new public policy recommendation to serve the international refugee community.