Thank You
Thank you to everyone who supported the Veterans Transition Network in the long effort to help evacuate Afghan interpreters and locally employed civilians who assisted Canada’s mission in Afghanistan.
Donations are now closed for the Afghan Interpreters campaign.
Our Afghan Evacuation Campaign has formally concluded, marking the end of a four-year effort to support Afghan allies at risk following the fall of Kabul in 2021.
What began as an urgent, life-saving response evolved into a complex operation—adapting to changing conditions in Afghanistan and Canada’s immigration system. From securing safehouses and coordinating evacuations, to supporting applications and guiding families through long, uncertain processes, our work shifted as needs evolved.
In later years, we focused on specialized support, including travel coaching and documentation assistance to help families reach safety.
Throughout, this effort was driven by the unwavering commitment of Canadian veterans and the compassion of the Canadian public.
Together, these efforts helped thousands of Afghan allies reach safety and begin new lives in Canada.
VTN’s work featured on CBC’s The Fifth Estate:
We are now returning full focus to our deep commitment to provide mental health and transition programs for Canada’s veterans. The recent crisis in Afghanistan has weighed heavy on the hearts of veterans across Canada. The VTN has programs running across Canada to support any veterans affected by what has happened in Afghanistan. Please check our schedule for a program near you.
A note about Canada’s Afghan Veterans: Over 40,000 Canadian soldiers served in Afghanistan and 158 never came home. This campaign honoured their deep commitments to help the interpreters who helped them, and the Afghan interpreters and civilians who also died in service to Canada. We mark the service and sacrifice of all our fallen and the donors who facilitated a public discussion over our role, responsibilities and remembrance of commitments made in conflict whether in Afghanistan or conflicts yet to come. Lest we forget.
If you wish to donate to VTN’s group counselling programs for veterans, please know we are grateful for your support. Please note: all donations made to VTN now will support our veterans’ programs.
Even on a mountain, there is still a road.
– Afghan proverb found in Dari, Pashai and Pashto languages.Â
That road did not appear on its own. Over the past four years, it was built step by step, by people who refused to accept that there was no path forward.
To the 3813 individuals who gave.
To those who advocated, organized, and refused to look away.
To those who volunteered their time, their expertise, and their courage.
And to the veterans who honoured a promise made in service,
You were the path.
Through your collective efforts and your enduring compassion, you carved a road through impossible terrain—one that carried thousands of Afghan allies to safety, to dignity, and to the beginning of new lives in Canada.
There are no words that fully capture the scale of what was achieved. But there is gratitude.
Deep, enduring gratitude.
Sincerly,
VTN Afghan Support Director Cpl (Ret’d) Tim Laidler
VTN Chief Executive Officer Oliver Thorne
So many Afghans were helped, thanks to you.
1700+
Sheltered in
safehouses
3655
Evacuations supported
1773
Immigration Applicants Supported
275
Counselling Support
AFGHANS ASSISTED YEAR OVER YEAR:
2021
In the immediate aftermath of the Taliban’s resurgence, VTN launched emergency operations; funding safehouses for 1,700+ displaced Afghans and helping nearly 2,000 escape Afghanistan via Canadian government flights and VTN-funded road convoys.Â
Sheltered in
safehouses
Evacuations supported
Immigration Applicants Supported
Counselling Support
1700+
1892
–
–
2022
With no Canadian government presence remaining in Afghanistan, 2022 marked a transition from emergency response to long-term migration support. We continued ground evacuations, explored flight options, and expanded our immigration application support; the key bottleneck for Afghan Allies. VTN closed the public fundraising campaign in May 2022. Â
Sheltered in
safehouses
Evacuations supported
Immigration Applicants Supported
Counselling Support
–
721
547
275
2023
IRCC entered a formal partnership with VTN, funding continued safe passage and application support for Afghan applicants to the Special Immigration Measures program. Our work shifted from urgency to complexity, focusing on difficult late-stage cases. We continued small road convoys and coached many more Afghans who moved independently with our support.Â
Sheltered in
safehouses
Evacuations supported
Immigration Applicants Supported
Counselling Support
–
823
331
–
2024
IRCC renewed our partnership through December 2024. As cases grew more complex, VTN expanded its role to include travel coaching, visa/passport support, and strategic advising for Afghan allies; helping families navigate legal and logistical hurdles in their final journeys to safety.Â
Sheltered in
safehouses
Evacuations supported
Immigration Applicants Supported
Counselling Support
–
219
723
–
2025
With government funding concluded, we spent down the remaining funds provided by a generous donor — originally intended for an evacuation flight that became non‑viable. Those final dollars supported applicants to the Special Immigration Measures Program (now closed) and the Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot  Program.Â
Sheltered in
safehouses
Evacuations supported
Immigration Applicants Supported
Counselling Support
–
–
172
–
Thank You.
Afghans helped thanks to generous donors:
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