ASHFIELD — The American Psychological Association (APA) has awarded the 2024 International Humanitarian Award to Sayed Jafar Ahmadi and Zeinab Musavi, a couple that Ashfield Churches Together has supported since 2021.

The award is sponsored by APA’s Committee for Global Psychology, which recognizes “extraordinary humanitarian service and activism by a psychologist or a team of psychologists working with underserved populations.” The award includes an honorarium of $1,000.

“Zeinab and I are honored to receive this award,” Ahmadi said. “We are happy that we have been able to reflect some of the human suffering in Afghanistan to our colleagues in the APA. There is still so much pain and suffering there, especially for girls and women, and Zeinab and I will continue speaking out through our research and humanitarian activities. It is the only way that we know how to promote human peace and tranquility.”

The First Congregational Church (UCC) and St. John’s Episcopal Church have been supporting the family since 2021, when Ashfield resident Carter J. Carter asked both to write letters of support to help the Ahmadi family get passage out of Afghanistan when it came under the control of the Taliban, after the Biden administration pulled soldiers out of the country.

“The APA International Humanitarian award is an extraordinary honor,” Carter said. “Recipients are chosen by world-renowned scholars selecting from a world’s worth of estimable psychologists. Clearly the APA has excellent taste. Zeinab and Jafar are by far the most impressive and ethically honorable colleagues I have ever known. I am proud to know this family.”

After several months of waiting, the family flew to Germany, and on Thanksgiving Day in 2021, they arrived in the U.S. and settled in Red Hook, New York, home of Bard College where Ahmadi was hired as a visiting faculty and research scholar in psychology.

“At that time we understood we are not alone,” Ahmadi said in an interview.

Once news came to Ashfield that the family was moving to America, the community collected clothing, furniture, household appliances and toys for the couple’s three children (ages 2, 5 and 10). They also launched a fundraising campaign, and donors from Ashfield and beyond contributed $27,255.

Ahmadi and Musavi have provided counseling for victims of trauma, bombings, the COVID-19 pandemic and earthquakes in Afghanistan for two decades. Ahmadi said he tells victims they are “not alone” during counseling, and his family received this same message from the people of Ashfield.

In Red Hook, while Ahmadi works at Bard, Musavi continues online teaching and counseling of women and girls in Afghanistan, often after midnight because of the time difference. She also became a research scholar in the psychology department at the University of Afghanistan, reestablished in Qatar.

“I understand it is the best opportunity, and I must use that for my job,” Ahmadi said. Since arriving in America two years ago, he has published 10 papers related to his trauma research. He continues to redesign protocol around treatment from incidents that cause post-traumatic stress disorder, including suicide bombing attacks.

In the wake of the war between Israel and Hamas, Ahmadi said he hopes to design a new course for Bard students about nonviolent communication.

Because of the couple’s work, they have become targets of the Taliban. Ahmadi explained the Taliban has asked his colleagues in Afghanistan about his whereabouts. Since the move they have had difficulty communicating with his family and friends back home.

Ahmadi reported that the family is adjusting to the new way of life in America. His oldest son is a talented soccer player and his daughter is in nursery school. He added that she is already better than him at speaking English.

To make a tax-exempt donation to the family, send a check to St. John’s Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 253, Ashfield, MA 01330.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com.