The Afghan minister who became a deliverer in Germany: Work is work

His story gained publicity due to the chaos in Afghanistan since the Taliban came to power. Sajed Sadat was the Afghan government’s communications minister before moving to Germany last December, hoping for a better future.

He currently works as a distributor in Leipzig, East Germany.

He says that some in his homeland have commented negatively on his decision to do such a job having served in the government for two years until 2018.

But for him today, work is work.

“I do not feel guilty for any reason. “I hope other politicians follow the same path, working with the public instead of hiding,” said the 49-year-old, leaning on his bicycle and wearing his orange uniform, according to Reuters and the Athenian News Agency.

Relatives and friends want him to leave, hoping they will be able to board a flight like thousands of others in Kabul who are waiting for the same.

With the withdrawal of US troops from the horizon, the number of Afghan asylum seekers in Germany has increased by more than 130% since the beginning of the year, according to data from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

But even with his resume, Sadat struggled to find a job in Germany that would suit his professional experience.

With a degree in telecommunications and information technology, he hoped to find a job in a related field. But since he did not speak German at all, he had very little chance.

“Language is the most important thing,” said Sadat, who also holds British citizenship.

He takes a four-hour German class at a foreign language school every day before embarking on a six-hour afternoon shift delivering meals to Lieferando, where he started working this summer.

“The first days were exciting, but difficult. “The more you travel and the more you see people, the more you learn,” concludes Sadat, describing the challenge of cycling in the city.