Founder of Relief Without Borders: Senzela Atmar

Relief Without Borders (RWB) was built on the foundation of Senzela Atmar’s remarkable story. Her strength, compassion, and deep connection to her roots are the reasons RWB exists today, impacting millions of people facing vulnerable conditions similar to those Senzela experienced in her early childhood.

Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, during the bitter months of winter, there are no records of Senzela’s actual birth date or time. As the country faced turmoil and unrest, the family of eight embarked on a challenging cross-country journey by foot, seeking asylum in the Jalalabad province. Upon reaching Jalalabad, a caravan transported them to the border of Pakistan, where they were registered into a United Nations camp. Enduring extreme insecurity, they remained in the camp for more than two years. During this time, Senzela’s 13-year-old brother, Iqbal, faced tragedy along with many others in the camps, leaving a profound impact on the family.

Senzela's older brother, who was 16 at the time, applied for the U.S. Embassy Visa Lottery. In 1997, the Atmar family was chosen. Upon receiving their green cards, the family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where they began the process of rebuilding their lives. Senzela's parents secured employment, and her siblings were enrolled in school for the first time in years. The Nashville community extended its generosity, delivering food and household items during their first few years in America.

Senzela's experiences as an Afghan refugee in Nashville led to her idea that eventually became Relief Without Borders. Starting as an Instagram account called People of Afghanistan (POA), it focused on generating awareness of shared human experiences through people-focused pictures. POA went viral, and Senzela recognized that she had become the vessel connecting people who wanted to help to those in need.

POA was rebranded to Relief Without Borders in 2017, enabling RWB to focus on aiding and educating society about developing nations worldwide.

The driving force and backbone of Senzela’s ambition is her mother. She once described her as “a vehicle of love”. Nuancing the view of developing regions and its people in contrast to mainstream narratives remains Senzela’s passion. Her priority is sustainability: delivering education strategically with the aim of implementing tools that will allow communities to thrive on their own after direct, hands-on aid is withdrawn.

Picture by picture, Senzela Atmar and RWB continue to bridge the gap between developed and developing countries by de-stigmatizing marginalized populations and amplifying silenced voices to acknowledge our common humanity.

Written by Ava Katz