tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48959718591352100862024-03-15T09:22:43.305-07:00The Ripple Refugee ProjectThe Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-78828104680941938092023-04-19T08:02:00.013-07:002023-04-24T07:14:39.830-07:00Help us bring an Eritrean family of four to Canada<p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We need your support - again!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">This year, our group is sponsoring an Eritrean father
who was forced to flee his country over a decade ago and has been living in
limbo in a neighboring country ever since. More recently, his three teenage
children fled Eritrea to avoid upcoming forced military service, which is often
</span><a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/03/1134202" style="font-family: inherit;">indefinite</a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> and is subjecting
conscripts to inhuman and degrading treatment.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They are now living in precarious
circumstances in Ethiopia, awaiting their travel arrangements to Canada and the
opportunity to reunite with their father after 13 years.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Eritrea is widely recognized as one of the </span>most
repressive authoritarian regimes<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in the world, including widespread <a href="https://www.hrw.org/africa/eritrea" target="_blank">forced labor and conscription</a>, and staunch restrictions on freedom of expression and faith. The country</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> is at, or near, the </span><a href="https://rsf.org/en/country/eritrea">bottom</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">
of every socio-economic and humanitarian index.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><b><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We need $50,000 to financially
support this family in their first year in Canada. </span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 400;">With your help, we have an opportunity to reunite this father with his three kids and to completely change the trajectory of their lives to one of hope and opportunity. </span><span style="color: #222222; font-weight: 400;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #222222; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b></div></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><b>Tax-receipted donations</b> can be made online via
the Rosedale United Church’s donation page at Canada Helps (please </span><b><span style="color: #0563c1; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA; mso-font-kerning: 0pt; mso-ligatures: none;"><a href="https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/help-us-bring-an-eritrean-refugee-family-of-four-t/" target="_blank">click here</a></span></b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.canadahelps.org/en/pages/help-us-bring-an-eritrean-refugee-family-of-four-t/" target="_blank">)</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #19202b; font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkhFI-YRmJN7na7QpFgCu2t1onse2n9A5KqcfypaTpTiwGq42NZebi4Zfaqgd0kIecdoZo8o_4ERqJWbWlkvUkv2kspgIuedYmyQdfvFRYDPatzlOEYRYjI_N1FhWWxA8NGNJNhpEjen79BNNSmBFYWho9JqfC2qyv3SwKtaiafSUkK07pmzVooQezw/s1944/Eritrea-political-map.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1371" data-original-width="1944" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinkhFI-YRmJN7na7QpFgCu2t1onse2n9A5KqcfypaTpTiwGq42NZebi4Zfaqgd0kIecdoZo8o_4ERqJWbWlkvUkv2kspgIuedYmyQdfvFRYDPatzlOEYRYjI_N1FhWWxA8NGNJNhpEjen79BNNSmBFYWho9JqfC2qyv3SwKtaiafSUkK07pmzVooQezw/w400-h283/Eritrea-political-map.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #19202b; font-family: inherit;"><b><br /></b></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">Our group </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">has successfully
sponsored and settled four families and two men, a total of 21 people, from
Syria, Eritrea and Myanmar since 2015. You can read about their incredible stories, and our group's journey, by scrolling through this blog. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="color: #222222;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our commitment to supporting refugees is ongoing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></span><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><p></p>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-58690597213963805102019-12-19T02:14:00.000-08:002019-12-19T02:16:46.325-08:00Thanks to you, we have brought 20 refugees to Canada<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Ripple Refugee Project is very pleased to announce the arrival of our latest privately-sponsored refugee family. <br />
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The father, Khaled, is a Syrian citizen who fled the civil war in 2012 and has been residing in precarious circumstances in Ethiopia since then. Our application to sponsor him, his wife Abeba, and their daughter was submitted on March 31, 2016 and we are thrilled that they finally arrived in mid-October and are quickly and easily settling into their new home.<br />
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We also wanted to let you know that after 12 months, our financial support for the Eritrean mother and her 5 children has now formally ended. However, a number of our volunteers have become close friends with the mother and quite attached to the kids so will continue to remain engaged with the family and helping out where we can. <br />
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Because of your generous support, in some cases going all the way back to 2015, and our careful stewardship of your donations, our group has been able to sponsor, help settle and integrate 4 families and a single young man for a total of 20 people altogether! We are also happy to announce that several of these families had babies this year - a testament to their feeling safe and hopeful in their new environment. <br />
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At our recent Ripple member meeting we started discussing new sponsorship opportunities and will be in touch in the coming year about our plans. In the meantime, we would welcome any further donations you may wish to provide. <br />
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Tax-receipted donations can be made<a href="https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/rosedale-united-church/"> online</a> via our Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) with the Canadian Government - which is the Rosedale United Church (please note that Ripple is a secular group). Please select "Ripple Project Fund" from the drop-down box titled Apply your donation to a specific fund or indicate in the message box that the donation is for: "the Ripple Refugee Proje<span style="background-color: white; color: #1c1e21; font-family: inherit; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">ct".</span></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-50873878824869701152019-06-26T08:48:00.001-07:002019-06-26T08:57:22.649-07:00When ESL classes are not an option: Homeschooling for a newcomer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The importance of learning English for the successful settlement of newcomers can not be overstated. When the first former refugees we sponsored - a Syrian family of eight - arrived in Canada at the end of 2015, enrolling them in ESL classes was one of our top priorities. Most of them are fluent now. For Jamila, a single Eritrean mum with four small children who arrived in November 2018, participating in English classes proved to be a lot more challenging. We have not been able to find subsidized childcare for her two youngest, making it impossible for her to attend formal classes. But we have been extremely lucky to find an amazing volunteer teacher who comes to Jamila's home twice a week. Zeynep is an ESL teacher from Turkey who recently moved to Canada. Here is an account of her experience.</h4>
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When I heard from a friend that they needed an ESL teacher for a single mother of four from Eritrea, I did not hesitate for a second to volunteer. I was so excited about the idea of joining this group of volunteers that I did not think about the potential hardships of the task.<br />
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At that point, it did not occur to me that she and I did not speak the same language, that all the languages she spoke (she speaks her mother tongue, Tigrinya, Arabic and Amharic) had a different alphabet, that actually being at home meant she was not only a ‘learner’ but a mother even though there was always a volunteer to keep the kids entertained. Nevertheless, we both started with great enthusiasm and motivation.</div>
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Her at-home-custom-made ESL course can be defined as functional, i.e. focused around language that we use to perform various functions, such as introducing oneself, meeting new people, making requests, giving advice, complaining, agreeing, asking permission. Although there is a core curriculum, the course is somewhat flexible to meet her immediate needs. For instance, once one of the kids had a fever, and we immediately started talking about expressing health problems, such as have a stomachache, have a headache, have the flu, and incorporated the vocabulary for internal organs. On another occasion, she was feeling blue, so we worked on how to express feelings and mood. <br />
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She is good at comprehending conversation at her level, initial basic ability (in CLB1); however, production is slightly delayed. She needs to study, but her other responsibilities do not allow her to do any homework. For this very reason, we write the new language items on colourful paper and post on her walls to accommodate some peripheral learning. <br />
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As for vocabulary, which is an essential component of the course, her progress is better. It is easier to learn and use language at the word level, since she gets input from everywhere, i.e. supermarket labels, food labels, post signs. She even utters some words when she is speaking with her kids in their own language. For example, she may say “.……. garbage” when asking the kids to put some things in the garbage bin. <br />
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Although she appreciates the kind of support she gets for English, she is looking forward to going to “school” for ESL. In my opinion, she will benefit from being in a group of learners from various language backgrounds. There will be more opportunities to repeat, recycle, revise and use the language in the classroom situation. <br />
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Our experience may shed some light on the ESL aspect of the refugee/newcomer matters. An institutional language learning experience is necessary. However, for the newcomer to be able to use the newly-acquired language real people, i.e. people whom they encounter outside of the class, may give some support. It will be highly helpful if the third parties, i.e. volunteers, social workers, public health nurses, have some training on how to address ESL learners it will enhance their learning process. <br />
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Here are some tips for sponsors and volunteers to support the learning process of the newcomer: <br />
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<li>It is important that we speak slowly, allowing time for them to process.</li>
<li>Using body language will support the oral communication in a visual way. Acting is always a life saver if necessary. </li>
<li>Use of realia, i.e., real objects will also assist communication. You can also use any object, such as clothes, utensils, furniture, as a learning tool. </li>
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As for resources, the internet is full of ESL activities, you can check for any exercises, games, rhymes. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sotUp32mpOI" target="_blank">Jazz Chants </a>(by Carolyn Graham), which you can find on YouTube are helpful in practicing rhythm and intonation as well as pronunciation.</div>
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Children’s books are also a good resource. They can be utilized for reading comprehension, practicing description, asking questions, and pronunciation. </div>
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<i>By Zeynep Iskenderoglu Onel </i></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-64954585057555726122019-05-22T12:17:00.000-07:002019-05-23T08:45:12.919-07:00It takes a village<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Through the contact form on our blog, we recently received an email with the following question: “How do you organize yourselves so that the complex work of settlement and support can happen for multiple families without burning out your team of volunteers?” <br />
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It's an important question, and not an easy one to answer. Each of the three families that we have sponsored so far arrived after the first year of settlement of the previous family was over, so that made things easier. But having enough volunteers to carry out all the tasks needed is no easy feat, especially for the latest arrival, a single mum with four children, who needs a lot more support than the previous families. <br />
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Being a group made up entirely of volunteers can be a challenge. It means that people are not always available, and not always reliable. Everyone has busy lives outside the Ripple group – work and family obligations, holiday trips and so on. A number of people who joined the group four years ago have since dropped out, while others who are nominally members only sporadically chip in. Community sponsorship groups such as ours are vulnerable to this kind of fluctuation and unpredictability – unlike churches, for example, which can pull in volunteers from a wider congregation.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Newcomer and group members' kids mingle at an Easter party</td></tr>
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We have learned a number of lessons of how to make it work, despite all the challenges. <br />
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<li>For the latest settlement, we actively recruited new volunteers who have daytime availability (since many of the ‘old’ members have full-time jobs). All of them are absolutely amazing, always ready to step in when help is needed. We even found a wonderful volunteer ESL teacher who is teaching the mum at home, since she cannot attend formal classes due to a lack of access to childcare.</li>
<li>Being a volunteer in our group is ideal for people who want to be flexible and who have only a limited amount of time. Except for the English lessons, the need for support varies from week to week and people can volunteer whenever it fits into their schedule. </li>
<li>Several of our new volunteers live close to the family’s home, which makes volunteering easier, especially if support is needed at short notice. </li>
<li>Online tools are our friend when it comes to organizing ourselves – especially a shared google calendar and a messenger group where we post updates and ask for support, as well as google docs to share information. </li>
<li>We have had the same chair and several key members since the beginning, which allows for continuity. </li>
<li>Regular meetings with all volunteers, as well as regular message exchanges, help keep up a sense of community and being 'on the same page'.</li>
<li>Last but not least: We all agree that supporting this beautiful famil is extremely rewarding! We genuinely enjoy hanging out with them and probably get as much out of the experience as the family does. </li>
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<i>By Claudia Blume</i></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-590227430009588402019-04-03T13:38:00.000-07:002019-04-03T13:42:59.622-07:00The Ripple Effect<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A living room meeting leads to a BVOR sponsorship group </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Yosief Araya, Director of the <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/" target="_blank">Refugee Sponsorship Training Program</a> (RSTP), remembers the first time he heard from what later became the Ripple Refugee Program, a Toronto group that has since sponsored 17 individuals, including two <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/special-initiatives/how-can-i-sponsor-a-refugee-to-canada/" target="_blank">BVOR</a> families. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I got a call from Andrew Fitzgerald inviting me to speak about refugee sponsorship to some of his friends and neighbours,” Yosief says. He has spoken about refugee sponsorship to groups across Canada, but “it was the first time I’ve ever been invited to speak in someone’s living room.” That was early in 2015, before the Canadian government committed to bringing 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Andrew’s motivation was straightforward, “These are global problems. I can do something to relieve the sense of despair I have … I can help at least one family.” Aware that the group’s help might be “just a drop in the ocean,” members focus instead on the ripple effect of that drop, hence their name. The Ripple Refugee Project helps others learn from its sponsorship experience through a blog, which includes everything from articles on the sponsorship experience to <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/2016/06/cooking-with-nahla.html" target="_blank">recipes </a>and <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/2016/12/what-is-means-to-be-permanent-resident.html" target="_blank">reflections from the newcomers</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Members frequently speak with the </span><a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/p/media-coverage.html" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">media</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> to raise the public’s awareness of the continuing need for refugee sponsors. Ripple Refugee Project’s first BVOR family of eight arrived in late 2015. In December 2018 their second BVOR case arrived, a young Eritrean family of five led by a single mother. Members of this family became social media stars when a </span><a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/children-new-to-toronto-caught-on-camera-experiencing-first-snowfall-1.4173895" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">video </a><span style="font-family: inherit;">of the children enjoying snow for the first time went viral. UNHCR profiled the family and Ripple Refugee Project’s sponsorship activities in a video.(see </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUrnFCcprK8&feature=youtu.be" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">video</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">) Ripple Refugee Project now focuses on sponsoring BVOR cases with the help of its partner, Rosedale United Church. As frequent sponsors, they appreciate the faster arrival times and lower costs of BVOR sponsorship. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>If you know a group of people considering refugee sponsorship through the BVOR program, RSTP will be happy to talk with them. Please e-mail them at bvor@rstp.ca.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Yosief Araya's article was first published in the RTSP's BVOR newsletter (February 2019)</i></span></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-50927932590671385582019-02-13T14:08:00.000-08:002019-02-13T14:23:56.436-08:00Refugees in need of sponsors<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Two of the three families we helped settle in Canada, including the Eritrean family of five who arrived in November 2018, have come here through the <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/special-initiatives/how-can-i-sponsor-a-refugee-to-canada/">BVOR program</a>.<br /><br />The program is designed to resettle refugees identified by the UNHCR that have been referred to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).The BVOR program is a “blended” program because it is a cost-sharing arrangement whereby the Canadian government and private sponsors contribute financially to support the refugees. Private sponsors are also responsible for providing settlement support to the refugees for 12 months.<br /><br />Our group decided for a <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/2017/11/why-we-decided-to-focus-more-on-bvor.html">number of reasons</a> to focus on BVOR-refugees rather than on named-case sponsorships. Although bringing in refugees through this program is fast, and doesn't require to raise a lot of money, there appears to be a shortage of community sponsorship groups who are putting up their hands for BVOR refugees. <br /><br />The Canada office of the UNHCR produced a video, featuring the Ripple Refugee group, to encourage other Canadians to welcome refugees through this unique program. If we can do it, so can you!</span></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-90983084467160955272019-01-01T15:59:00.002-08:002019-04-17T13:42:44.524-07:00New Year's Visit from Minister Hussen<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It was a New Year’s Day that our Eritrean newcomer family
and we, their sponsors, will not soon forget. January 1, 2019 began with a
visit of very special guests: Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of Immigration,
Refugees and Citizenship and Mohamad Fakih, Lebanese-Canadian entrepreneur and
philanthropist.</h4>
<br />
Minister Hussen first reached out to us after seeing the
adorable <a href="https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/children-new-to-toronto-caught-on-camera-experiencing-first-snowfall-1.4173895" target="_blank">video </a>of the two eldest children of the family enjoying their first
snowfall in Canada that our group member Rebecca had posted on social media in November. The
video went completely viral within hours, was picked up by media around the
world and even <a href="https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1062086687877025792" target="_blank">retweeted</a> by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minister Hussen (right) and Mohamad Fakih interact with the family</td></tr>
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The Minister’s visit to the family’s new apartment coincided
with the birthdays of mum Jamila and her two eldest children, who turned eight
and six. January 1 is a birthday they share with many newcomers to Canada who
used to be refugees. Many people who flee their homes and don’t have birth
certificates get assigned this date of birth when they register as refugees,
and carry it over when they fill out forms in their new home country.</div>
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Minister Hussen not only brought lots of gifts for the
family and helped us sing Happy Birthday, he also discussed the benefits of
Canada’s private sponsorship model. Together with the UNHCR and other partners, the government launched the <a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/global-refugee-sponsorship-initiative.html" target="_blank">Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative </a>two years ago and has successfully
promoted the community-based sponsorship model to a number of countries around the world, such as the UK, Germany and
New Zealand. The minister said that we need to normalize the support for refugees. He urged all Canadians to amplify positive stories about
immigrants and the enormous benefits Canada is reaping because of the contributions of the many
newcomers who are coming here each year.<br />
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A case in point were our two visitors.
Minister Hussen arrived in Canada as a teenage refugee from Somalia. Mohamad Fakih founded Paramount Fine Foods, a chain that now has 80 restaurants around North America and has more than 150 <a href="https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/paramount-fine-foods-recognized-for-their-work-with-newcomers-to-canada-677519563.html" target="_blank">Syrian refugees</a> among its employees, only a few years after
arriving almost penniless from Lebanon. He is now partnering with the UNHCR and
is talking to other businesses in Canada about hiring and sponsoring refugees.</div>
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It seems hard to believe that less than two months ago,
Jamila and her four small children were living in a refugee camp in Sudan,
unsure about their future. She did not know that a sponsorship group was
waiting for her at the airport in Toronto and expected in fact to be settled in yet
another refugee camp (the information sharing with privately sponsored refugees
prior to their arrival is something that definitely needs to
improve!). </div>
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Today, the family experienced the kind-heartedness and openness not just of ordinary Canadian citizens but even a high-level government official. It is hard to think of a better way to start a new year, and indeed, a new life.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>By Claudia Blume</i></span></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-15930963536300833972018-09-09T18:14:00.001-07:002018-09-11T20:08:00.012-07:00Please help us bring an Eritrean family of five to Canada<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We
need your help! The Ripple Refugee group is sponsoring a young mother and her
four children, all under 8 years old. The family was forced to flee their home
in Eritrea and is currently residing under precarious circumstances in
neighboring Sudan. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Eritrea
is recognized as having one of the </span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20067&LangID=E">most
repressive regimes</a></span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"> in the world. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The UNHCR and the Canadian
Government have reviewed and approved the family’s application for refugee
status and they could arrive in Toronto
before this coming Christmas. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Our group has chosen to support this young mum and her small children because they are very vulnerable and because we think we can make a huge impact on their lives.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">But we need to raise $25,000 to
make this happen.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"> Any donations over and above this amount will be used for refugee
sponsorships our group will undertake in 2019.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">Tax-receipted
donations can be made on-line via the Rosedale United Church’s (our sponsorship agreement holder) donation page at
Canada Helps (<a href="https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/rosedale-united-church/" target="_blank">please click here</a>). Please be sure to indicate in the box marked
“Include a message for this charity” that the donation is for: RUC-25 Ripple
Refugee Project.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhva15_j9L7f7KzB8pJ3o4BQcPnxFRDUj0lOd6Vv0w4I4ExgqeSlBalU5M-XJwU4kjitRazbFAxRio5LKRCRAc41WowSZ54keIJx_kOf6Rg2nkFyvfY_M8bDOJxNM81xTcEwrdoWbXLv0m/s1600/Eritreans+seeking+safe+passage+to+Sudan+%2528UNHCR%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="800" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhva15_j9L7f7KzB8pJ3o4BQcPnxFRDUj0lOd6Vv0w4I4ExgqeSlBalU5M-XJwU4kjitRazbFAxRio5LKRCRAc41WowSZ54keIJx_kOf6Rg2nkFyvfY_M8bDOJxNM81xTcEwrdoWbXLv0m/s640/Eritreans+seeking+safe+passage+to+Sudan+%2528UNHCR%2529.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eritreans seeking safe passage to Sudan (credit: UNHCR)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Because
of the generous support of our donors we have been able to sponsor and settle
two Syrian families and one individual over the last three years, totalling
twelve people. You can read about their incredible stories and the journey that
our group of concerned citizens from Toronto has been on in our blog.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">For more information about donating to our group, please click <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/p/1.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </span><br />
<br /></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-82304933804074399732018-08-23T06:22:00.003-07:002018-09-10T14:35:53.643-07:00Arrivals<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">I</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"> travel a lot for
work. When the flight home is over, and after the final exhaustion of body and
soul by customs lines and luggage carousels, I used to race through the
automatic doors to the international arrivals hall and grab a cab or Uber for
the last twenty-one kilometres of the trip.</span></span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">But for the past two
years, though still always heart-hungry to get home quickly and see my family,
I now stop and look around when I’m through those doors and free to leave. </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">I look for signs.
Literally. “Welcome xxx Family to Canada!” they say, and, usually "مرحبا
بكم في كندا." Sometimes "bienvenue au Canada”. If you know the
acronyms and lingo, no small talk with the signs’ bearers is needed.<i> GAR,
JAS, or BVOR*? Have you already spoken with the family? How large is it? What
country are they from? Do they speak English? How do they feel about coming to
Canada? Do you know any of what they’ve been through? Best wishes for you all. </i></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/PpuDoObsDSakaxckwiTlO8309mVZAckbxB6mjQ9LHIJZOXaT7A99aKz9qBqennlGgf1JbQ0MfE7CRmeciA39iI493KFOT9h8I7LdVMryTZs1YBlGcOovhiRB14C48EEMT4jISkZP" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="314" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">On June 6, I was
there, in the international arrivals hall, with a sign. For the third
time. I’d joined my friend Sawsan Awad and her family to greet her brother,
Mahmoud, the latest human being sponsored by Ripple and</span><a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-whole-abdullah-family-is-finally-in.html"><span style="color: black; text-decoration: none;"> </span><span style="color: #1155cc;">it was at this exact spot</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"> in Terminal 1, in December 2015, where
we had first met Sawsan, her husband Mohamad, and the rest of the Abdallah
family in person.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Family reunification
is important for the wellbeing of newcomers, and was something that Sawsan had
said she wanted and needed - to restore links with some of her family after
being separated by war. And so we did not hesitate to sponsor her youngest
brother, who was still stuck in Lebanon. </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-011776c2-7fff-119a-a87b-bd80ea75e285"></span><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">It can take four
hours for newcomers to walk through those automatic doors, but I always want to
be there, just on the other side, even before the plane lands and for the whole
time it takes them to get processed. With my sign, red and white carnations,
and Canadian flag. I will not miss the moment the arrivals doors open and they
come through, a moment that represents joy, journey, meaning, grace, relief,
grief, sadness, happiness, weariness, survival, openness, philanthropy,
resistance, resilience, family, citizenry, past, present, and future. I’m
unapologetic about this. Such human moments generate more humanity. It’s a
ripple effect. </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img height="400" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Sjt_e22kh_za6syyBK2AYwkn-XOyTqM4pgI1ojqUE1JZiIhAL6t0z6wmwx-LSHiOZbx5xToxCWcKjHVkZtMd-LBF9BSHwq0Y8bQbNVfamDuI21GSI-nAJnfksGcc6AIX9i2UGXc-" style="border: none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="335" /></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-d830b6aa-7fff-4584-924d-eb8510fa4d73"></span><br />
<span style="clear: right; float: right; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span id="docs-internal-guid-798f707a-7fff-c563-0c54-a47a38ba3303"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;">Two months of
settling into his new life in Toronto, Mahmoud told me, “Arriving in Canada is
one of the best things that ever happened to me. Because I speak English, I’ve
faced nothing like the challenges faced by many newcomers. But settling in a
new community takes effort. I’m working hard and trying to get involved in the
community. I still miss my family and friends back in Syria and Lebanon. l had
no choice but to leave. After so many years, I finally reunited with my sister
and her family. She has three beautiful daughters, and the two older ones, Aya
and Reemas, are very happy and excited to have another uncle around. My sister
Sawsan was overwhelmed with joy, and burst into tears when she was at the
airport to pick me up.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">In a couple of weeks
I’ll be returning from another business trip and walking through that spot
where we first met Sawsan and her family, then</span><a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.com/2016/12/what-is-means-to-be-permanent-resident.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Amr,
Rasha, and baby Kareem</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">, the second Syrian family our group had sponsored, and now, Mahmoud.
And I’ll look for more signs, think with gratitude of those who’ve arrived, and
the many more we must bring through those automatic doors at arrivals. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">*Government Assisted
Refugees, Joint Assistance Sponsorship, Blended Visa Office-Referred </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Rebecca Davies</span></i></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-10235398095259905852018-06-06T09:16:00.002-07:002018-09-10T14:36:13.205-07:00Keeping a balance between the now and my roots<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<i style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">Amr Al-Farham, his wife Rasha and their
son Kareem arrived in Toronto in December 2016. They are the second Syrian family our group had sponsored to come to Canada. We asked Amr to give our
supporters an update about how the family has
settled in. </span></i></h3>
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<i><span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">I promised, with pleasure, that I would write a post a year after our arrival and now it’s been almost 19 months. My wife and I were, and still are, overwhelmed with life, and this is another sign
of becoming Torontonians. <o:p></o:p></span>I think that one of the most important signs of becoming a Torontonian is that what you think you can do is way less compared to what you can actually do. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">When I knew that moving to Canada is
happening, my child had just gotten out of the incubator after two months of
intensive care. He had been born prematurely. To celebrate both events, we threw a big party at our flat in
the city of Gaziantep, which we call Aintab, in the south of Turkey. During
the party, my Syrian friend who had been to Canada before gave me what
sounded like a very precious advice: “Amr, you won’t believe me if I told you
that the country is extremely cold. Please wrap-up very well even under your
pants as many people lose their genitals due to the extreme cold. If you’re not
well prepared, your genitals will fall off and you will lose them
forever.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My friend’s advice was untrue but the cold
he told me about was something I never experienced in my life. I know now where
the famous Game of Thrones’ phrase <i>“Winter is coming”</i> comes from, and
how weather here controls not only the way people dress “<i>the crows on the
wall” </i>but also how people act, react, live, behave and even smile. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPlPYPCEzOvIHeWZhnBiuUDbSJcb4EwvqHtO_mBamouE8bP-mmCX9Jqgg811DxIrrSis9EbICsbHNUN6vf4PAVPM-UX1a_-WxLCaSYmk1lhMD8kFok-S_KMyagO_hj3SjsrsZNbt1SyUm/s1600/Amr+Rasha+Kareem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1599" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPlPYPCEzOvIHeWZhnBiuUDbSJcb4EwvqHtO_mBamouE8bP-mmCX9Jqgg811DxIrrSis9EbICsbHNUN6vf4PAVPM-UX1a_-WxLCaSYmk1lhMD8kFok-S_KMyagO_hj3SjsrsZNbt1SyUm/s640/Amr+Rasha+Kareem.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Upon arrival, most people in Toronto have
been very welcoming. I later figured out that the reason was that we were the
hot topic in the news. We were the topic of debate and, to a much lesser degree, a
target of insult for some conservatives. Unlike many Syrian friends in the
diaspora who were hiding their identity in the public fearing becoming a target
of hate, discrimination or just simply getting bombarded with tons of political
and religious questions, I decided to say out loud that I had recently
arrived as a Syrian refugee and was open to all responses. In downtown Toronto,
the responses were usually warm and welcoming. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">However, I would receive the strangest
comments and questions that one would not expect. Here are some examples from
different people during the past 18 months:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> "Y</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">ou’re Syrian! Oh wow, that’s
cool! I am happy to meet one in person, are you really as traumatized as they say
in the news?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> "</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">Oh, welcome to Canada buddy! May
I ask a question; did you really cross the sea and walk across Europe in order
to make it here?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> "</span></span></span><span lang="EN-US">We are glad you are here and
safe; do you need toasters? We have an extra one?"<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In our culture we use different bread (what
people call pita here is actually Syrian bread), so toasters are not essential
in our diet. But my answer to the last question was: “Thank you very much, what
we really need here is a job.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Speaking English and having university
degrees helped us jump many steps forward. Ripple Refugee group understood this
from the very first time they met us. Instead of registering us in a language
school or showing us how to take a first TTC ride, they put huge efforts into
networking and helping us write our resumes and cover letters in an attractive
way for a Canadian employer. I want to mention the invaluable one-on-one meetings
with group member Keith, who is a HR specialist.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">With all the support we received, and by
being proactive, flexible and positive, by talking to everyone and sending our
resumes everywhere, my wife started working in a media company in February. She
has since been promoted and given a permanent contract, while I was able to get
a limited contract with Doctors Without Borders as a project manager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Being in an advantaged position, I
volunteered my language skills and translated for Syrian newcomer families who
did not speak any English, which connected me with many families who were not
as advantaged as we were back home. They told me how determined they were to
build a new life for themselves and for their loved ones. They were eager to
study, or just jump at any job opportunity and start providing for their
families despite all the challenges. I was also introduced to different private
sponsorship groups who were from different age groups and different
professions. Some were faith based while other were just neighborhood groups,
work colleagues or even dog walkers. But what they all shared is that they were
amazing people who were willing to provide as much support and care as
possible.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Fleeing a war-torn country is not something that is easy to overcome. We still have our parents in relatively safer cities but with
mortars occasionally falling around and kidnappings. They live under a brutal,
oppressive and corrupt regime in a permanent failed economy and prevailing
misery in the air. We have friends and family who are scattered around the
world, with similar education qualifications. Some have been successful while others
are still struggling. We talk to them on the phone and many reveal how
desperate and helpless they are. I believe that if my friends in Germany,
Spain, France or even Turkey and Egypt were privately sponsored and provided
with similar support opportunities as happened to me and my wife, they would
have been doing much better now and their host countries would have been
benefiting from their skills.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In my mindset now, I am not a refugee
anymore. I am a newcomer with skills, a Torontonian who follows up with
elections, local news and checks the TTC updates every weekend. I am writing
this article while my son is running around me, mumbling short sentences
of mixed English and Syrian Arabic words. I have a daily struggle of how to
keep a balance between the now and the roots, the future and the past, my
current Canadian dream of a diverse, fair and open society and my Syrian dream
of a stable democratic and pluralist country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><i>By Amr Al-Faham</i></span></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-30630780255029841082018-06-04T11:13:00.001-07:002018-09-10T14:36:37.692-07:00How can the citizen sponsorship model be improved?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">On May 5, </span><a href="https://canada4refugees.org/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Canada4Refugees</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, in partnership with Ryerson
University’s </span><a href="https://www.ryerson.ca/diversity/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Diversity Institute</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">, held a one-day </span><a href="https://canada4refugees.org/conference-on-citizen-refugee-sponsorship-summary/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif;" target="_blank">workshop</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> with members of
sponsorship groups, settlement agencies and refugees to discuss the challenges
of the current citizen sponsorship model, and ways to improve the system. </span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Three members of the Ripple sponsorship group are founding members of Canada4Refugees, an organization that aims </span><span style="color: #3d3e40; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">to both promote and support the citizen sponsorship model for refugee resettlement through advocacy, education and awareness.</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d3e40; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bAALgXll2gV-UdB2oq4sMkDDMvIcqRPxgqHRxBO7M8NholkpGGbmfTzf_OlV_SReLbOFtkXlOTRUP5_D6xRm0jYQBr_Avweqn7v8GtaIFW7Z-FtHb3sti-ddD2yv2so4aC9QhBhY-E1z/s1600/refugee+meeting3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="600" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4bAALgXll2gV-UdB2oq4sMkDDMvIcqRPxgqHRxBO7M8NholkpGGbmfTzf_OlV_SReLbOFtkXlOTRUP5_D6xRm0jYQBr_Avweqn7v8GtaIFW7Z-FtHb3sti-ddD2yv2so4aC9QhBhY-E1z/s640/refugee+meeting3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Several
experts shared their insights into private sponsorship and overall refugee and migration issues in Canada, including Senator Radna Omidvar, an expert on refugee and immigration
issues; Mario Calla, the executive director of COSTI settlement agency;
Samantha Jackson of Lifeline Syria; Wendy Cukier, head of Ryerson University’s
Diversity Institute and the Globe and Mail’s Doug Saunders, who has written
extensively about migration issues. Most stressed the importance of the citizen
sponsorship model that started in the 1970s, when private citizens sponsored
more than 60,000 so-called ‘boat people’ - instead of the 4000 the government had anticipated. The response to
the Syrian crisis was equally enthusiastic, but interest in private sponsorship
has declined noticeably in Canada after its 2015/2016 peak.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The participants identified a number of <b>challenges</b> for
citizen sponsors. They include finding sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs) as
well as a lack of oversight from SAHs; lack of access to settlement training
and limited funds; the long processing time for applications; weak links
between sponsors and settlement agencies; a lack of communication between
sponsorship groups and the Department of Immigration as well as limited
availability of resources for refugees in rural and northern communities. Refugees’
access to work and language training was also noted as a concern. Another issue
that was lamented is that there is no clear information about how many private
sponsorship groups there are in Canada, and the difficulty to connect with
them.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4DgBFhVTfUvw0xK6r355EvTuPYX3d7hAOD0W7F85LduQOtxns2Elt_uxwOwe2vMOTHVTLF3QbgtWF8b1xZpMkV-ehcHhzuwM6pa6bGVzGGWBY0KfK-HD_ydqVSAldoRzel1HaTVWJOtA/s1600/refugee+meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="600" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4DgBFhVTfUvw0xK6r355EvTuPYX3d7hAOD0W7F85LduQOtxns2Elt_uxwOwe2vMOTHVTLF3QbgtWF8b1xZpMkV-ehcHhzuwM6pa6bGVzGGWBY0KfK-HD_ydqVSAldoRzel1HaTVWJOtA/s640/refugee+meeting.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In a brainstorming and discussion session, a number of
suggestions were made on <b>how to improve the system</b>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create an organization – possibly comprised of
representatives of Canada4Refugees and the Refugee Sponsorship Training
Programme – to work with the SAH Council to make more information and resources
available to private sponsorship groups<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a universal, non-faith based SAH that
sponsors could go to for information and support. It should probably start in
Toronto but could be replicated around the country if successful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a better handbook outlining pre- and
post-arrival obligations and improve access to resources and services for
sponsorship groups<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Comprehensive training and capacity building for
front-line service providers as well as for sponsors, catering to diverse learning
styles<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Refugee voices need to amplified in
conversations about sponsorship and refugee issues in general<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->More direct and clear information is needed on
family reunification, which is important for mental health of refugees. IRCC
may need to expand its definition of family, going beyond the Western notion of
a nuclear family<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Sponsors should be allowed to sponsor asylum
seekers, e.g. those who have come across the border from the US.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">·<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Advocacy is needed to motivate the public to
continue to sponsor refugees/have empathy for refugees. Telling stories, appealing
to emotions can help.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoRQwKBW-Y-TRJpicg5cr-s4xxDqAewEVF1ou2mjiJ3lte65MgiG3MHdZG6hu4ozGJNOQWxpvMNH4PtO07tELsp_TI6SdBkbZKoxdtAKmXgjv7giOFcb9UMogVzbrlpLAytBk5tLTcgYy/s1600/refugee+system.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1339" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaoRQwKBW-Y-TRJpicg5cr-s4xxDqAewEVF1ou2mjiJ3lte65MgiG3MHdZG6hu4ozGJNOQWxpvMNH4PtO07tELsp_TI6SdBkbZKoxdtAKmXgjv7giOFcb9UMogVzbrlpLAytBk5tLTcgYy/s640/refugee+system.jpg" width="475" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the end of the workshop, participants came up with
suggestions for <b>concrete actions </b>that could be taken. They were ranked by the participants.
Here are the top seven:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Fund additional employees at ICRCC to review the
backlog of applications, with a view of processing 50,000 refugee applications
each year for the next five years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">2.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Call on the government to waive limits and
quotas on the number of refugees for private and citizen sponsorships each
year. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">3.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Mobilize citizens who are not on-board – if we
don’t change their perceptions, there will be no political change<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">4.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Invite fifty asylum seekers to a BBQ at Allen
Gardens<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">5.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create better communication channels to share
information and ideas, and to enhance collaboration<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">6.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a secular SAH, similar to Lifeline Syria,
that is transparent, open to working with all sponsorship groups, able to issue
tax receipts and has staff that answers questions and makes referrals to other
organizations<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">7.<span style="font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span><!--[endif]-->Create a list of all private sponsors in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to build a network</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-87504309473098257222017-11-21T13:39:00.005-08:002017-11-21T13:56:39.310-08:00Why we decided to focus more on BVOR refugees rather than named-case sponsorship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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For Private Sponsorship groups like ours, which want to
undertake sponsorships on an on-going basis, there are number of benefits of
working through the <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/vor.asp" target="_blank">Blended Visa Office Referral</a> (BVOR) program as compared to
the <a href="http://www.auraforrefugees.org/index.php/about-aura/refugees-sponsorship/refguee-case-types" target="_blank">Named-Case stream</a>.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Named-Cases are those where an application is prepared here
in Canada and submitted to the Canadian Immigration Department (<a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/" target="_blank">IRCC)</a> for
review and, hopefully, approval. The vast majority of Syrian refugees who were
privately sponsored over the last two years came to Canada through the Named-Case
program. Their applications were prepared by family or community members or by
groups such as Lifeline Syria before being submitted to the IRCC for
consideration. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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The BVOR program, on the other hand, contains refugees whose
files have already been reviewed and approved by the IRCC. A list containing brief biographical profiles
of the approved BVOR refugees is periodically circulated by the <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/" target="_blank">RefugeeSponsorship and Training Program</a> and <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/groups.asp" target="_blank">Group of 5</a> or private sponsorships groups,
working with their <a href="http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/refugees/sponsor/sah.asp" target="_blank">Sponsorship Agreement Holders</a>, can choose from this list who
they want to sponsor. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgatLGYhYSdiualT6rLe5ydXuq7YoowY8iumkQtmMzzG6SzMZsuAExTb67TI9gGPyPEJjxGLfGsyJjHRSb4qaRA-CVcD6ii_FzxqPS62Yh9aNMLmGQLs0rcBLBnBImWS1KJAo0dnXh6jXZ/s1600/photos-ci-porter23.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="365" data-original-width="545" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgatLGYhYSdiualT6rLe5ydXuq7YoowY8iumkQtmMzzG6SzMZsuAExTb67TI9gGPyPEJjxGLfGsyJjHRSb4qaRA-CVcD6ii_FzxqPS62Yh9aNMLmGQLs0rcBLBnBImWS1KJAo0dnXh6jXZ/s640/photos-ci-porter23.jpg.size.xxlarge.letterbox.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
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When comparing the two refugee programs, Private Sponsorship
groups may find that there are a number of benefits of opting to sponsor refugees
from the BVOR stream. These benefits include:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;">Lower fundraising requirements</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">:</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Under the BVOR program the government pays up
to 40% of the associated costs for the first year of resettlement here in
Canada. Named-Cases require private sponsors to pay for 100% of the settlement
costs.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;">Faster and more predictable arrival times</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">:</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Since refugees under the BVOR stream are
pre-approved by the government and are ‘ready to travel’, they will normally
arrive within 12 weeks of the private group requesting the sponsorship [Note – there
was a breakdown in the BVOR program in 2016/2017 which led to inordinate
delays, substitutions and outright cancellations but this was an exception to
the program’s normal operating process].</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span></li>
</ul>
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Named-Cases typically take a minimum of 18
months but possibly as long as 36 - 48 months from submission of the
application to their arrival into Canada, assuming the application is approved.
</div>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;">Reduced Paperwork</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">: Private groups need to
fill in minimal paperwork to sponsor BVOR refugees whereas Named-Cases involve
extensive paperwork and backup documentation to support the application.</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;"> BVOR cases are pre-approved and arms-length,
eliminating the possibility of emotional turmoil that can arise in stalled or
rejected Named-Case applications:</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> With Named-Cases, delays or rejections
can be heart-wrenching for both the sponsors and the refugees themselves. In
some cases, the sponsors are communicating directly with the Named-Case
applicants trying to explain why the application is delayed or possibly helping
out financially until it is approved. [Note – the process errors in some of the
BVOR files mentioned above, in 2016/2017, in some cases also lead to similar
issues, but that is not how the program normally functions].</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;">Sponsor groups can choose who to sponsor
based on their own priorities</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">: Our group is interested in sponsoring the
most vulnerable of refugees – those with medical issues, women at risk, larger
families, single parent families etc.</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">In
addition to these criteria, we are now also interested in sponsoring Rohingya
refugees. The circulated BVOR lists provide profile descriptions, including
country of origin, which allow groups to select who they want to sponsor based
on their own pre-determined priorities</span></li>
</ul>
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</div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><u style="text-indent: -18pt;">BVOR sponsorships do not use up scarce
Sponsorship Agreement Holder (SAH) quotas</u><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">: Each year the IRCC sets a
limited quota for the number of sponsorships that a particular SAH, such as the
United Church, can undertake.</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">Since BVOR
sponsorships do not count against these scarce quotas they are more appealing
to SAH’s and they can be initiated even when the SAH has reached its annual
quota limit.</span></li>
</ul>
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I want to emphasize that both the Named-Case and the BVOR programs
are important and valuable in terms of Canada’s overall refugee efforts and the
humanitarian values that they espouse.
The Named-Case stream enables community groups, or the newcomers
themselves, to sponsor relatives or other key members of the newcomers’
original community, and this has been shown to be extremely important to the emotional
well-being of the newcomers and in helping to ensure their successful long-term
resettlement here in Canada. From a
purely humanitarian point of view, family reunification is obviously something
we should strive for, rather than having families separated by geography and
possibly leaving close family members overseas, still in harms way. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Furthermore, in what has become known as the “Echo” effect,
many Private Groups developed a strong attachment with their sponsored
newcomers and are now undertaking follow-on Named-Case applications to help
these newcomers bring in extended family members as well. Our group have decided that we will consider
sponsoring adult children or the parents and grandparents of people we have
sponsored but generally we are not looking at sponsoring relatives beyond that
– but that is a decision that our group, like other groups, must make on a case
by case basis. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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Notwithstanding the “Echo” effect, for those groups that are
considering sponsoring refugees on an on-going basis, one after another, they
may find for the reasons mentioned above that the BVOR program is much easier
to work with than the Named-Case stream.
Currently there is a shortage of Private sponsors putting their hand up
for BVOR refugees which is a shame given the many benefits associated with this
program. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial black" , sans-serif;">Andrew
FitzGerald<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span style="font-family: "arial black" , sans-serif;"><i>Chair, Ripple
Refugee Project</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
This article was first published on the <a href="https://canada4refugees.org/blended-visa-office-referrals-a-better-way-forward/" target="_blank">Canada4Refugees </a>blog<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-2691738842820904182017-07-30T05:55:00.000-07:002017-07-30T06:10:12.069-07:00A memorable meeting in Ethiopia<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">After the successful sponsorship of two Syrian
families over the past year and a half, Ripple has been eagerly looking forward
to our next sponsorship opportunities. Khaled’s situation was brought to our
attention by our Syrian group member Ammar. Khaled had fled violence in Syria
and is now living temporarily in Ethiopia. Ripple enthusiastically agreed to
support his application to come to Canada.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In April, we received an update on Khaled’s application which read as
follows:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Good Day,</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Please be advised that this application is still in progress and
is in queue for an Interview.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Unfortunately the interview dates have not been determined yet,
once they are established the applicant will be notified accordingly.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Regards,</span></i><i><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span lang="FR-CA" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Immigration and Visa Section | Service
Immigration-Visas</span></i><i><span lang="FR" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Canadian High Commission | Haut Commissariat du Canada</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Government of Canada | Gouvernement du Canada</span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin: 0cm 0cm 0.0001pt;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">The following month I was in Ethiopia, as part of the Toronto Addis
Ababa Academic Collaboration in emergency medicine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="xmsonormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0cm;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While there, I sent this simple text message:</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">“Hello Khaled, I’m part of your Canadian sponsorship group. I’m in Addis
this week, it would be great to meet. Are you free on Tuesday for coffee? – Jennifer” <span id="0.8055737930103579" name="searchHitInReadingPane"></span><span class="currenthithighlight"><span lang="EN-US" style="background: rgb(216 , 35 , 0); color: white; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmcJFRmcflQ1_T5i2O7OYoHWQXhTflOltatSrldse1Uq_8xMek312n-ZLu3hvX23t8AlKbXbei717eve0iHwhFRUUxhu2Y7AgwQNfPw_BreIHtavmczzzX8uYYgvdWGh5-9y52jY7xEjn/s1600/Khaled+and+Jennifer.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmcJFRmcflQ1_T5i2O7OYoHWQXhTflOltatSrldse1Uq_8xMek312n-ZLu3hvX23t8AlKbXbei717eve0iHwhFRUUxhu2Y7AgwQNfPw_BreIHtavmczzzX8uYYgvdWGh5-9y52jY7xEjn/s400/Khaled+and+Jennifer.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Within minutes, Khaled messaged me and we arranged to meet.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">On the patio of my hotel we ordered Fanta and coffee and Khaled told me
his story. He told me of the violence his family has experienced, showed me
photos of war-decimated buildings where friends and family members once lived.
He talked about struggling to support himself after leaving Syria, first
fleeing to Sudan and then on to Ethiopia. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">With great difficulty, he’s found work in his area of expertise, travel
and tourism, but his situation in Ethiopia is precarious. There’s no guarantee
day to day of how long he will be able to continue to work and live
there. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Khaled's wife and
daughter are still in Syria, eagerly awaiting the time when their family can be
reunited</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Khaled continues to await a date for his interview and the opportunity
to finally move from a temporary existence to being able to build a new home in
Canada.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">We ended our visit with the shared hope that the next time we see each
other will be in Pearson Airport as Khaled arrives in Toronto to start his new
life.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><i>By Dr. Jennifer Bryan</i></span></div>
</div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-13565020191744063152017-06-15T14:04:00.001-07:002019-06-21T13:50:38.801-07:00Despite the enormity of the global refugee crisis, don’t put your head in the sand<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDDtKU73CMGiqom-bcFIixX9GmbXr7WKkth_KpxWQqSRhaCFMG6EVO7dVGc5XNxMh5B2LpZuNMY95nlmFHvKPhVp-o_1MXNHpwhVssnbhxpg3iOrUl-AiWb1rOHeEBIIvK_4BHhZ69EJ-/s1600/withrefugees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="450" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVDDtKU73CMGiqom-bcFIixX9GmbXr7WKkth_KpxWQqSRhaCFMG6EVO7dVGc5XNxMh5B2LpZuNMY95nlmFHvKPhVp-o_1MXNHpwhVssnbhxpg3iOrUl-AiWb1rOHeEBIIvK_4BHhZ69EJ-/s400/withrefugees.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />When the world marks World Refugee Day on June 20, we are reminded of how huge the number of people is who have been forced to flee their homes. On average, 20 people were driven from their homes every minute last year. According to the<a href="http://www.unhcr.org/news/stories/2017/6/5941561f4/forced-displacement-worldwide-its-highest-decades.html" target="_blank"> UN Refugee Organization, </a>65.6 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide at the end of 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The reaction of the international community to this unprecedented crisis has been pitiful. Most European countries are closing their doors to as many asylum seekers as possible. The number of refugees arriving in the United States has dropped sharply since the election of Donald Trump. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">And while the Canadian government prides itself on being exceptionally welcoming to refugees, the actual numbers do not confirm this: From 2015 to 2016, Canada has taken in about one refugee for every 2,000 people, compared to 30 in Sweden, 20 in Austria, or about a dozen in Germany, Finland or Norway, putting Canada in <a href="http://globalnews.ca/news/2951263/these-14-countries-have-taken-more-refugees-than-canada/">20th place among industrialized nations</a> accepting refugees, on a per capita basis. Furthermore, a recent <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/canadians-not-so-exceptional-when-it-comes-to-immigration-and-refugee-views-new-study-finds">study</a> shows that Canadians as a whole are not more tolerant towards refugees than other countries. <br /><br />Given the enormity of the displacement issue and the unwillingness of governments to do more, many of us feel helpless. But now, more than ever, is not the time to put our heads in the sand. <br /><br />Here are a few things you can do: </span><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sponsor refugees</span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>If you live in Canada, consider forming or joining a <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/" target="_blank">private refugee sponsorship</a> group</li>
<li>If you are outside of Canada, petition your government to consider adapting the Canadian private sponsorship model</li>
</span></ul>
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</span>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Help refugees settle into Canada (or other countries)</span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mentor or hire former refugees (e.g. through the <a href="http://www.rcjp.ca/" target="_blank">Refugee Career Jumpstart Project</a>)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Join a welcome group of volunteers who support government-assisted refugees settle into Canada with the <a href="https://www.togetherproject.ca/">Together Project</a></span></li>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>Become a newcomer mentor with <a href="http://www.culturelink.ca/">CultureLink</a></li>
<li>Check out other volunteer options to support newcomers in your local area. In Toronto, you can check out <a href="http://www.volunteertoronto.ca/page/HelpingRefugees">Volunteer Toronto</a>’s Helping Refugees page. </li>
<li>Offer a (temporary) home to refugees – you can sign up on <a href="https://www.roofs4refugees.ca/">Roofs for Refugees</a> or Airbnb’s <a href="https://www.airbnb.ca/welcome/refugees">Open Home</a> platform, for example</li>
</span></ul>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Speak out</span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>Advocate for more refugees to come to Canada faster, and to <a href="https://canada4refugees.org/clearing-the-refugee-backlog/">clear the refugee backlog</a> - for example by writing a letter to your MP. You can find more information on the <a href="https://canada4refugees.org/">Canada4Refugees</a> website. </li>
<li>You can also check out the ‘<a href="http://ccrweb.ca/en/refugees-welcome-here">Refugees Welcome</a> ‘ campaign resources of the Canadian Council for Refugees </li>
<li>Sign a petition, such as <a href="http://takeaction.amnesty.ca/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=1770&ea.campaign.id=63426&utm_source=website&utm_medium=web&utm_term=online_actions_listing&utm_campaign=webpromo&_ga=2.215521940.269970329.1497385678-1563644585.1497385678">Amnesty International’s petition</a> to the Canadian government to rescind the third party agreement with the United States</li>
<li>Share the UNHCR’s <a href="http://www.unhcr.org/withrefugees/petition/#.WUA2G9_AEDk.facebook">#WithRefugees</a> campaign and other refugee-related messages on social media</li>
<li>Speak out when you hear negative comments about refugees, migrants and newcomers</li>
</span></ul>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Donate</span></span></h3>
<ul style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">
<li>Donate money to organizations working with refugees, either local ones such as <a href="http://lifelinesyria.ca/">Lifeline Syria</a> or global organizations such as the <a href="http://www.unhcr.ca/">UNHCR,</a> <a href="http://www.msf.ca/">Doctors Without Borders</a>, <a href="https://www.shelterboxcanada.org/">ShelterBox</a>, <a href="https://www.savethechildren.ca/">Save the Children</a></li>
<li>You can also give in-kind donations such as furniture, clothes and household items to a number of local organizations. Remember to only donate items that are in excellent condition</li>
</span></ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Do you have other suggestions? Send us your ideas in the comment box! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>By Claudia Blume</i></span></div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-65853764177641051352017-05-16T08:16:00.001-07:002017-12-12T11:32:49.589-08:00Canada's recurring refugee debate ignores our historical experience<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11.0pt;">With
the recent increase in refugee claimants crossing unannounced into our country
from the U.S., Canada’s approach to refugees is once again being hotly debated.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">While
there is a commonly held view amongst Canadians that we have been, and continue
to be, a very welcoming country when it comes to refugees and other immigrants,
the reality is that over the last 150 years nearly every large wave of
immigration has faced significant resistance. And, in pretty much every case,
the arguments against allowing in whichever group it is at the time have
largely been the same.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Our lack
of historical memory concerning our often-conflicted attitude toward
immigration prevents us from learning from the past and leads us to keep
repeating the same tired debate over and over again.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">When a
boatload of desperate Tamils arrived off of Vancouver’s shores in 2010, the
Harper government declared it a national emergency, recalled parliament from
summer recess, passed new laws and argued that the 400 or so bedraggled people
posed a significant threat to our security.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Canada
had virtually the same reaction in 1939 when a boatload of Jews fleeing Nazi
persecution on the MS St. Louis tried unsuccessfully to land in Nova Scotia,
and in 1914 when the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver waters carrying Sikhs.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pMSswvoA5VwGNCI1KBUxc9XNu0o4EgWkoxshARNrdoEpFxGd8LvYD_DMOhOCmsgEItcnmLXdFqPelhVNZ49LA2acZEeiohdnrrNFS20sYvLeEPx844iRDo-uybG1yu2UjYOuShAyRbWk/s1600/Komagatu+Maru.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="283" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4pMSswvoA5VwGNCI1KBUxc9XNu0o4EgWkoxshARNrdoEpFxGd8LvYD_DMOhOCmsgEItcnmLXdFqPelhVNZ49LA2acZEeiohdnrrNFS20sYvLeEPx844iRDo-uybG1yu2UjYOuShAyRbWk/s400/Komagatu+Maru.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sikhs on-board the Komagata Maru</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Like many
Canadians, I have always been proud of the role that Canada played in providing
sanctuary to African Americans fleeing slavery via the Underground Railway.
However, at the time, many of our ancestors viewed the fleeing slaves as
“illegals” who, because they were not properly screened, represented a
potential security threat and integration challenge. Sound familiar?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Exactly
the same arguments are now being used against the few hundred poor souls that
are currently crossing our borders each month fleeing persecution in the hope
of finding a better life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">What is
interesting is that over the years, the reasons cited by those opposed to each
major wave of immigration and refugee resettlement have almost always been the
same. They have argued that immigration from this particular group should be
minimized because these people have a different culture, a different system of
values and beliefs; that they won’t be able to integrate; that they will be a
drag on our economic resources; that there are too many and as a result that
they will swamp our society and change our national identity. That they are a
security threat.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">In the
early 1900s immigration from China was resisted since there was a fear that
numerically they would swamp us and that our security was threatened by the
Asian diseases they would bring with them.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZydgaMeIj5ka2e1usvwAtUSfLZ1vMQ7XIB8ks-KJMxh-f8oT4cudXvlFQyjfN7MwcOFF_pCQfPBQ5ELTsjUjtSgNUSnyKJuHDHYxtaqXGAumfRA0HFpMYk_FoFi_2gmGBB160iiBnF3w9/s1600/chinese+railroad.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZydgaMeIj5ka2e1usvwAtUSfLZ1vMQ7XIB8ks-KJMxh-f8oT4cudXvlFQyjfN7MwcOFF_pCQfPBQ5ELTsjUjtSgNUSnyKJuHDHYxtaqXGAumfRA0HFpMYk_FoFi_2gmGBB160iiBnF3w9/s400/chinese+railroad.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chinese labourers detraining camp, Petawawa, ON.Credit: Meredith, C.P./Library and Archives Canada</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">From the
mid-1800s to the mid-1900s there was considerable hostility to Irish Catholic
immigration. For many, the Irish represented an undesirable cultural group
whose allegiance was more to Rome and the Catholic Church than to Canadian laws
and values.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Leading
up to and during the Second World War practically no Jewish refugees were
allowed into the country because, it was argued, they had different religious
and cultural beliefs and practices, which would make it hard for them to
integrate. And once again, the security concerns were raised — how could we be
sure that no German agents were hiding amongst the valid Jewish refugees, ready
to attack our country once they were resettled into Canada?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Given
that the same alarmist, anti-newcomer arguments have proven, in every case, to
be invalid over the last 150 years, perhaps it’s time that we acknowledge there
is nothing to fear from these waves of immigration. Instead, let’s recognize
that, as in the past, each new wave does in fact end up integrating into our
society and contributing to making this country the vital, culturally rich and
economically strong mosaic that it is.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Canadians
should have greater faith in the overarching strength and resilience of our
Canadian identity and the universal appeal of our values when concerns about
newcomer integration are raised. We have a wealth of historical experience to
show that this faith would be well-founded.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #404040; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;"><i>This opinion article by RRP chair Andrew FitzGerald was first published in the <a href="https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2017/05/16/refugee-debate-ignores-canadas-unflattering-historical-experience.html" target="_blank">Toronto Star</a>, May 16, 2017</i></span></div>
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</div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-50753942553075045372017-05-05T12:59:00.002-07:002017-05-05T13:09:26.437-07:00Lessons Learned: Post-Settlement (Self) Evaluation<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">As our group is in the process of sponsoring additional refugees to come to Canada and we will be assisting these future newcomers in their settlement process, we wanted to learn as much as possible from our first settlement so that we can improve our effectiveness as time goes on. </span></div>
<br />
A number of people have expressed interest in learning more about the evaluation process we undertook, and the specific questions we asked, so we wanted to share this information in our blog. <br />
<br />
The evaluation process was undertaken as we moved into the 13th month, once the formal sponsorship period of 12 months had been completed. The <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.ca/p/a-post-settlementquestions-for.html" target="_blank">first survey</a> was conducted on a one-on-one basis between the individual members of the newcomer family and an Arabic speaking volunteer, without any of our sponsorship team members being present. The questions were provided ahead of time, in Arabic, and the family members were encouraged to be as critical as possible so that we could learn from their feedback. Some key takeaways from their feedback are included below the questionnaire. <br />
<br />
The <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page_78.html" target="_blank">second questionnaire </a>was completed on an anonymous basis via Survey Monkey with members of the sponsorship team. The results were then discussed and distilled down into the most important learning points for our group members to consider. A few selected examples of our feedback are included below. <br />
<br />
The third part of the evaluation, not included here, was an open and frank discussion with each of the newcomers, individually, with a close and trusted member of the settlement team and an Arabic interpreter. The aim of that discussion was to highlight things that the settlement team felt that the particular newcomer still needed to focus on, or opportunities they should take advantage of, or concerns that we had regarding their particular situation.<br />
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<b>Some of the major areas of feedback from the family were:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>More regular English language work with different members of the settlement team would have been appreciated. Having a regular English “class” in their apartment was very important to them and we should have been doing it more often and continue to do it into the second year.</li>
<li>Similarly, more support for the job search, including during the second year when they would be more prepared to look for work, would be appreciated </li>
<li>They would have appreciated more advice regarding where to conduct their shopping, where to find the best bargains and how to use the Toronto public transport. [Although we did cover this it appears we did not do it as comprehensively as we should have] </li>
<li>There was also feedback that they remained uncertain about how certain things, such as making dental appointments, should be executed on, which we had thought had been clearly communicated already. </li>
</ul>
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As a result of their feedback, our group has decided that in the future, with our next sponsorships, we will conduct a formal monthly review to ensure that we don’t take anything for granted and we ensure that no issues or unmet needs are left unaddressed as the settlement proceeds. <br />
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<br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Highlights of feedback from members of the sponsorship group </b></h3>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Q2: What could we do better (Pre-arrival and/or post arrival)</i>? <br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Clearer division of responsibilities post-arrival </li>
<li>Pair up each family member with an RRP member for outings, English lessons etc. No need to always involve the whole family. </li>
<li>Encourage family members to take on part time jobs early on </li>
<li>Consider location closer to subway, not in Arabic environment </li>
<li>Focus on different ways to improve their English (outside of ESL classes) </li>
<li>Manage expectations of family for month 13 </li>
</ul>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Q3: How effective was the communication between our group and the newcomers? What improvements in this area should we consider? </i></div>
<div>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Understand role and responsibility of volunteer vs professional interpreters </li>
<li>Draw on a bigger pool of interpreters </li>
<li>Email not a good communication method but other communication means such as text messages, What’sApp, Facebook messenger worked well </li>
<li>Regular, formal check-ins with family with different group members to discuss progress, concerns </li>
<li>Spend more time with the family post-arrival to clarify mutual expectations, roles and responsibilities </li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<br />
<i>Q4: What specific actions or approaches could we have done better to promote self-sufficiency and empower the newcomers? </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Encourage them to take on part-time employment </li>
<li>Encourage them to take on volunteer positions </li>
<li>Be more active in English-language support for the family </li>
<li>Earlier start of employment discussion, preparation of CV </li>
<li>Manage expectations for month 13 </li>
</ul>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Q6: In terms of the RRP group overall, considering how we might be able to work more effectively, and in terms of our long-term future, do you have any suggestions regarding changes we should make in any of the following areas? Direction, Goals, Processes; Governance; Membership; Task-definition and assignments; Meetings; Decision-making process; Advocacy; Other </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Defining governance, including membership guidelines/ how decisions are made. Clarifying vision and mission. </li>
<li>We should re-visit team member roles, accountabilities and expectations of ourselves and of each other </li>
<li>We should continue to support advocacy efforts on behalf of the private sponsorship model in general and its application to the Syrian refugee backlog in particular. </li>
<li>Develop mechanisms to ensure engagement of members, to exclude members if needed, to bring in new members </li>
<li>Take and circulate minutes at each meeting </li>
<li>Continue meetings, perhaps on a more regular basis </li>
<li>Clear delineation of roles and responsibilities of members </li>
</ul>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Q7: Personal reflections - Please provide your thoughts on any of the following questions: What did you learn personally, what was most meaningful, memorable, about this experience? </i><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>It has been a wonderful personal experience both as part of the RRP itself and in getting to know the newcomers. I definitely feel like I have gained a lot more than I have given. Being a member of the group has connected me with terrific individuals that I might not have known otherwise. Our discussions have been sometimes difficult but it has felt like we have really worked as a team to arrive at decisions. And in a crazy world that seems to be getting crazier, it has felt empowering for our group to make a difference in the lives of these 8 people. </li>
<li>The most memorable was the pick up on day on, and the small day to day interactions and light moments and I really enjoyed our Ripple team meetings </li>
<li>I found it personally satisfying to assist the family to settle in Canada after the trauma they must have experienced over the past few years both inside and outside Syria. It's only one family from among millions of displaced Syrian refugees but what a difference our team has made in the lives of every member of the family. Our medical team members have been truly outstanding. </li>
<li>Seeing the family so grateful to be here in a free country, and being received so warmly was a true pleasure. </li>
<li>On the whole, this has been a really positive experience for me personally as I feel I have connected in a meaningful way with people with shared values. It has been an honour to tangibly assist with settling a vulnerable newcomer family. This journey has been an impetus for becoming involved with an advocacy organization and to learn about the problems with the Canadian Immigration system and to explore possible solutions. </li>
<li>This has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life and a real honour to work with such a great group of people. Has given me a lot to think about in terms of empowerment, interpersonal relationships, cultural issues, volunteering</li>
<li>Very glad to be involved, regretful that did not have more time to make myself available. Regretful also that I did not manage to make a meaningful personal connection with them. </li>
<li>The most meaningful part has been to enable two families to have a new life, and a better hope for the future. Also, it is very special to feel part of a group, of a bigger community, and taking a small step into making the world a slightly better place. Doing something concrete to help instead of just complaining. The most memorable moments were the arrival of the family and the many beautiful moments we spend with them socially. The whole year was one big learning experience as everything we did was completely new to me. I am proud that we were able to weather many of the challenges that arose, and stuck together as a group, without a lot of conflict and disagreement. One disappointment was that a number of people in the group simply disappeared or were disengaged, especially when the going got tough, or just came to group meetings without engaging with the family. </li>
<li>The friendship with people so very different from me in customs and values has been heart warming. On the other hand, I have come away with a renewed appreciation of the importance of making a contribution to others for both my own and the refugees mental health. Overall, I think that the joy of self sufficiency, contribution to the welfare of others and social participation is a right we need to help the newcomers to access. I am learning about the range of groups in Syrian society and their associated attitudes, and wonder whether the government could better help those on the list to come here to manage their expectations and to understand what will be expected of them in turn. </li>
<li> It was wonderful to be part of a team that helps to provide a safe haven and a new start for people in real distress. I learned that the barriers are larger than I had expected. </li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
Template for our <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page_78.html" target="_blank">self-evaluation,</a> and for the <a href="http://ripplerefugee.blogspot.ca/p/a-post-settlementquestions-for.html" target="_blank">newcomer’s evaluation </a>of our work (in English and Arabic). <br />
<br />
<i>By Andrew FitzGerald</i><br />
<br /></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-27566113747150721492016-12-15T07:43:00.005-08:002016-12-15T07:59:48.063-08:00What it means to be a permanent resident in a country for the first time in my life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Amr Al-Faham, his wife Rasha and their 5-months old son Kareem arrived in Toronto from Turkey on December 6, 2016 - the second family sponsored by the Ripple Refugee Project. He describes what it means for him to be a permanent resident in a country for the first time in his life.</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s been a week and I am still in the
denial phase that I am here, in famous Toronto. But more importantly, I am here
with a legal status that allows me to become a citizen in a specific number of
years. This means that there will be no more queuing and pushing and being
pushed for hours in the crowded residency permit offices in all the countries I
lived in. No more running back and forth for days to renew my residency and
repeat this process every single year. No more bribing and faking a smile to the
officers so they can facilitate my residency permit without complications. More
importantly, no more fear of the future and feeling vulnerable every time a
major incident happens in a country I live in. </span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I
still cannot believe that on arrival, and with a two-hour process, I was
provided with documents that will help change my life for the better and for the
rest of my life. I am a permanent resident in a country that I come to for the
first time in my life.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the thirties of the last century, my grandfather
opened the fifth modern pharmacy in Damascus, and went to Iraq to open one of
the first pharmacies in an Iraqi city. This is where he got the opportunity to
get the citizenship of the back-then new-born kingdom of Iraq. He kept the
Iraqi citizenship believing that Iraq will be one of the best countries in the
world as it has oil and agriculture and an old civilization with a rooted culture
of education and production, and he dropped or neglected the Syrian
nationality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">After spending most of his life moving
between Iraq and Syria, he decided to settle in his city of birth, Damascus,
with his daughters and sons but he left us; his grandchildren, the legacy of
Iraqi nationality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So I was born in Damascus, Syria but with
an Iraqi citizenship. And ever since, I had to renew my residency every year.
My father had to renew my residency for me when I was a child and I still
remember how difficult it was as the diplomatic ties were cut and borders were
sealed between Damascus and Baghdad for over 22 years. My father had to know
key people in the Syrian ruling Baath Party so he could succeed in keeping his
and our residency going, and each year he had to make the phone calls. When I
grew up I started to take his role and visit the residency offices but still my
father had to make the phone calls and the prearrangements with his connections.
<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Things kept going this way until 2003 when
the Americans invaded Iraq and millions of Iraqi refugees flooded Syria. In a
few months, I turned into “just another Iraqi” in Syria and the government did
not distinguish between my case and the newcomers’ cases. My father’s
connections became old and left their positions and thus became useless, and the
Syrian government had asked me to head to the “Bureau of Immigration and
Passports” to be issued a residency permit. I still remember the first time I
went there; I had to queue for seven hours in a very crowded and loud room.
While queuing, the person behind me advised me to put a bribe of 500 Syrian
pounds in my passport (which was worth USD10 back then) and hand it over to the
officer when I reach his desk. And yes, everyone was doing the same. Collecting
the residency permit was another painful process where people would crowd and
push each other and shout while collecting their stamped documents.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the following years the residency
renewal became much easier - not because the Syrian government had improved it,
but because my elder brother figured out a new magical way; he would enter the
Bureau with a fat wallet and start distributing Syrian pounds notes here and
there. Once, he asked me to accompany him and I was astonished as he looked
like he was entering a bellydance night club where all the officers were saluting
him while receiving the notes and slipping them in their pockets and desk
drawers.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2013, two years after the demonstrations
started and developed into a war, the Syrian regime was torturing and/or
killing all the activists. Being one myself, I had to flee Syria to what was
supposed to be my country: Iraq. I left to Iraqi Kurdistan to the city of
Suleimani (Assulaimaniyya). Being classified as an Arab in their eyes, the
Suleimani Kurdish local authorities issued me a yearly residence permit after a
long interrogation process, asking me unfamiliar questions such as “what is your
race? What is the name of your clan? Are you Turkmen but pretending to be an
Arab?”</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I was alright with that as long as I received a legal status, but it was surprising to me that I had to have a
residency permit issued in my own country of citizenship. The more surprising fact was
when I was traveling from Suleimani to the other Kurdish city of Erbil to meet
my brother who had just moved there. The Kurdish Assaiish (Police) had sat up a
big checkpoint at the city’s entrance, and the first time I was passing there,
they stopped me and asked for my residency card, saying that my Suleimani card was not valid in Erbil because I was an “Arab” in their eyes. I was asked to
proceed with the Erbil residency permit in order to be able to enter the city.
Of course Turkish and European citizens did not require this permission; it was
only the citizens of Iraq from another race.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the second trip to Erbil I met Rasha,
whom I fell in love with, and decided to travel to Erbil every second week to
see her. But this meant that I had to cross the Erbil check point with an entry
permission card every time I wanted to see her. The Erbil entry permission
issuing process took between an hour to four hours. The process starts when the
Assaiich member discovers that there is an Arab in the car and he would scream
to his colleagues: ”Here is another Arab!” I then would be asked to go to a
large fenced open area with no chairs or trees and queue, sometimes push and be
pushed, and fight until I got this permit card. I had to wait in the heat
of 45 degrees summers, and in the cold of -1 degrees winters, I have seen old
men crying, and sick people begging the officers so they can enter the city to
receive treatment.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Erbil checkpoint became much more crowded
after ISIS invaded Mosul and a big wave of Mosul’s residents fled to Iraqi
Kurdistan. But across the two years I stayed in the Kurdish region, I have lied
to the officers, played tricks with them and faked the dates of old permit
cards so I could access Erbil and meet my love.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In late 2014 I moved to Turkey with Rasha
whom I married later, and for the first time in my life I did not have to bribe
or call connections or key people in order to get a residency permit.
Everything was clear and the process was relatively easy. But I still have renewed
my residency two times, as I had to renew it on a yearly basis. I had this sense
of insecurity and of the “what if”: what if the Turkish government changed the
rules of treating the Syrian refugees, what if I was not allowed to renew my
residency for any reason? Where would I go as I cannot go home? What will
happen to me? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In July 2016, the Turkey coup attempt has
raised the same fears and the same “what if” questions I always had. My newborn son
was in the incubator in a faraway child hospital, and we did not know what will
happen to us if the coup had succeeded. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So here I am in Toronto at my Canadian
sponsors' family house, with a document that will last for years and with a
clear status that will save and protect my rights as a normal human being who
doesn’t have to bribe, use dodgy connections, explain whether he is Arab or
Kurd, state his religion or swear to the officers that all he said was
true. On the other hand, the sponsoring group is offering us with all possible
ways of support; introducing us to basic knowledge of our new home country and
offering us all sort of help and support. To be honest, this is too good to be
true and I am still living in the denial phase. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-61176394298758839662016-12-14T09:31:00.005-08:002016-12-14T09:54:06.049-08:00It's a girl!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzQ8hF2NQgWmy-KvKLjkky_FifFSuXTu6cNtdhfHlCr7rwCGzaOuW3WKX0x-3yonefb0EIgxCbK2c4F1eZv0z6IS56gXvWbywZj9eiJvA2cu1Fbw4cTT8LiGGYGcHIuLNTsKdInoSw_7V/s1600/cbc+photo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="323" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihzQ8hF2NQgWmy-KvKLjkky_FifFSuXTu6cNtdhfHlCr7rwCGzaOuW3WKX0x-3yonefb0EIgxCbK2c4F1eZv0z6IS56gXvWbywZj9eiJvA2cu1Fbw4cTT8LiGGYGcHIuLNTsKdInoSw_7V/s400/cbc+photo.png" width="400" /></a><br />
What an exciting end of the (sponsorship) year: On December 13 the Abdallahs welcomed their newest family member! Little Scham was born in a Toronto hospital, and is the first Canadian citizen in the family. The baby and mum Sawsan are both doing well, and Aya and Reemas are excited to have a baby sister.<br />
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A few days before, the family talked to the CBC's The Current about their first year in Canada, and what lies ahead. There are some worries about what comes after the sponsorship ends, but Sawsan says she feels optimistic. "I feel this is home. I feel this is my country". <span style="text-align: left;">The </span><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-december-14-2016-1.3894331/it-s-a-girl-snapshots-of-syrian-refugees-in-canada-one-year-later-1.3894525" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">interview</a><span style="text-align: left;"> was aired today. </span><br />
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-18400560246704342882016-11-24T07:24:00.001-08:002016-12-15T11:56:57.368-08:00A message to our donors <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">The members of the Ripple Refugee Project wanted to provide
all of you, our generous donors, with an update on the Abdallah family,
who arrived from Syria to Canada last December, and regarding other
sponsorships and initiatives undertaken by the Ripple Refugee Group.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Abdallahs are settling well into their new life here in
Toronto. All the family members are working hard to develop
their English language skills which is a priority in order to provide them
with a solid foundation for their new life. The two youngest family
members, who are 6 and 8, are already pretty much fluent while the
adults are making great progress. Now with the 12th-month anniversary
approaching, attention is turning to finding work so that they can support
themselves going forward.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5acQKxJzzMpyuZA6e5w8bF_1MYJ0ZAkeNwkLMm-hg8-WpmjDbIDjOMfvlYfoH1d8CFehI20Cq-Y2lHm2PgSKs4D1LU3jn23KaLFw924_y2HFVSlZOrP9UYcjjaA-5hFGS1HuqOCRKqPBx/s1600/baby+shower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5acQKxJzzMpyuZA6e5w8bF_1MYJ0ZAkeNwkLMm-hg8-WpmjDbIDjOMfvlYfoH1d8CFehI20Cq-Y2lHm2PgSKs4D1LU3jn23KaLFw924_y2HFVSlZOrP9UYcjjaA-5hFGS1HuqOCRKqPBx/s400/baby+shower.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Baby shower for the soon-to-arrive newest family member</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">IT TAKES A VILLAGE</span></span></u><span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">: We have had tremendous support in settling
this family into their new life from so many different organizations and
individuals and we want to thank everyone who has been involved. While
there are too many to mention, we want to highlight the support from the
University Health Network (UHN), the Arab Community Centre of Toronto
(ACCT), Access Alliance, Dentists, Sunnybrook Hospital, Ryerson
University, Lifeline Syria, the many volunteer Arabic-speaking interpreters and
members of that community, and from a wide range of other people
in the extended Toronto community.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">And of course, our refugee sponsorships would not be possible without
all of your generous donations - THANK YOU!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><span style="border: 1pt none; padding: 0cm;">UPCOMING
ARRIVALS</span></u><span style="border: 1pt none; padding: 0cm;"> -
We are looking forward to welcoming a family of 3 before Christmas, who are
arriving from Syria via Turkey with a new born baby in tow.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12.0pt;"> We also have
an application for another family of 3 and for a single young man who is
related to the Abdallahs, who should all be here hopefully by mid 2017. The
Ripple group plans to continue sponsoring refugees over the coming years - it
has been such a rewarding and transformative experience for all of us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">As Ryerson Lifeline Syria has stopped accepting donations for all their
sponsorship teams, which we are one of, we will be working with another
organization to continue our funding efforts in order to support
the sponsorship of more refugee families in the future - Please stand
by for an update regarding this new donation channel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><u><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12.0pt;">ON-GOING ADVOCACY AND SUPPORT EFFORTS</span></u><span style="color: #212121; font-size: 12.0pt;"> - From the beginning, an
important goal of the Ripple Refugee Project was to advocate to the
government and public for the value and importance of the Private
Sponsorship model, to encourage people to get involved and to support other
private sponsorship groups in whatever way we can. Below are some more
recent examples of our efforts in this area:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">- We continue to meet with other private sponsorship groups
to provide guidance in their efforts<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">- <a href="http://canada4refugees.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Canada4Refugees.org</span></a>: 3 of our members were
co-founders of the Canada4Refugees group which formed last May in order to
advocate for and provide support to the citizen-led refugee resettlement
model and initiatives. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">- Advocacy through the media in order to build domestic and
international support for Syrian refugee initiatives, the private sponsorship
model and to encourage people to get involved: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">a) Our newcomer family was recently featured on BBC International Radio
and TV broadcasts (<a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-37390395" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">click here to view the heartwarming TV story)</span></a> which
also shows an amazing surprise reunion between the BBC reporter, Lyse Ducet and
a Syrian family that was last seen in dire circumstances in Damascus.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">b) The family and the Ripple Refugee Project group were also featured in
the Globe and Mail (<a href="http://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-globe-and-mail-ottawaquebec-edition/20161115/282097751287429" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here)</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">c) On Dutch TV (starts at minute:17:23) (<a href="http://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-globe-and-mail-ottawaquebec-edition/20161115/282097751287429" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here</span></a>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">d) Al Jazeera's TV show, "The Stream" (<a href="http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201601121418-0025131" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">Click Here</span></a>), featured The Ripple Refugee Project
in its episode on private citizens helping Syrian Refugeesple Refugee
Project. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;">WISHING YOU ALL THE BEST FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: inherit; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">MANY THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR SUPPORT</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-19628949458610458882016-11-13T06:41:00.001-08:002016-11-24T08:13:57.935-08:00A few things we have learned in the first year<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">t has been almost one year since the Syrian family of eight
we are sponsoring has arrived in Toronto. As we are waiting for a second family
to arrive, it’s time to take stock. It has been an extremely eventful, rewarding,
but also challenging year. Here are some
of the lessons we have learned.*</span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a life-changing
experience</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although the past year has at times been challenging and
frustrating, by and large the sponsorship has been one of the most rewarding
experiences many of us have ever had. We have not only gained the friendship of
a Syrian newcomer family, but we have also grown together as a group and felt part
of a larger community, of something bigger than ourselves. While sponsoring a
family is a small act in the big scheme of things, it has completely
transformed not only this family’s, but also our lives in more ways than we
could have imagined. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s a big commitment</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several times it hit us what a big commitment we had taken
on. All of a sudden we were responsible for eight complete strangers who did
not speak a word of English, had never traveled anywhere besides Syria and
Lebanon and did not know how things worked in Canada. It was very daunting - almost
like adopting a child. Especially at the beginning, settling in the family was
very time-consuming and quite challenging because we did not speak each other’s
language. The commitment does not stop once the family has moved into an
apartment, has all their documents and is enrolled in English lessons. Not only
does the practical support continue, but it becomes increasingly an emotional
commitment, one that does not stop once the sponsorship year is over. Several of
us have formed strong ties with the family, and we hope that the sponsorship relationship
will turn into a lasting friendship. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia30U1D_Y8sfTZIli_FlSAO__AdfkiMZVYVqy0aU2SCVKYPshqJi-zEs-V25KTBYwtW-Nz8IRUSecCSpKL1DoF_-Cp7uYStDmmoRb2xZwGc78EAvi3ceqfi01qcg5Dl9pzwYpkYoJFkZmS/s1600/iftar2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia30U1D_Y8sfTZIli_FlSAO__AdfkiMZVYVqy0aU2SCVKYPshqJi-zEs-V25KTBYwtW-Nz8IRUSecCSpKL1DoF_-Cp7uYStDmmoRb2xZwGc78EAvi3ceqfi01qcg5Dl9pzwYpkYoJFkZmS/s400/iftar2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The family invited us to an Iftar meal during their first Ramadan in Canada</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It takes a village</span></b></h3>
</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are very fortunate that the members of our group have a
wide range of professional backgrounds - such as health, education and human
resources - which made dividing and tackling the multitude of tasks of the
settlement process a lot easier. But it was much more than our group that
helped settle in the family. Several dentists have provided their services for
free. A family we did not previously know, offered temporary housing. Several community groups collected goods and
clothes for newcomers. Within hours of sending a request to our networks, a
complete set of baby items – from a stroller to a crib – had been donated for
the soon-to-arrive newest member of the family. Ryerson students mentored one
of the sons of the family who wants to study here. Several organizations, such
as the Arab community center, have given us invaluable support when needed.
This amazing outpouring of help from many Canadians has been one of the most
positive experiences during our sponsorship year.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manage expectations </span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before we took on the sponsorship, an experienced private
sponsor gave us an important piece of advice that helped us manage expectations
from the outset: It’s important to remember that the sponsors’ primary job is
to settle in refugees as best as they can. If they become friends with the
newcomers, that’s an added bonus, but don’t be disappointed if this does not
happen, or if you don’t get along. (Luckily for us, we got on really well with the family from day one).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also realized that a number of our expectations for
settling in a newcomer family are driven by our cultural, social and
educational background and bias – such as that women should be looking for work.
It is important to communicate openly, to recognize cultural and social
differences and adjust expectations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphen-VtK1EZ1mYoA_XSaoHfk2_AyfB70YM7UCC_IUK-qB6BI95RCZhpAbQ94_T0NTEWEDEWEOoYMQ3g1g8TaCz0FTwLyVowzIAigU-BLetsVufQKRos0q1PTr6xBv1DhjQl34GiyBEqC71D/s1600/niatar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhyphenhyphen-VtK1EZ1mYoA_XSaoHfk2_AyfB70YM7UCC_IUK-qB6BI95RCZhpAbQ94_T0NTEWEDEWEOoYMQ3g1g8TaCz0FTwLyVowzIAigU-BLetsVufQKRos0q1PTr6xBv1DhjQl34GiyBEqC71D/s400/niatar.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An outing with the family to Niagara Falls</span></td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t be scared of
making mistakes</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">None of our group members had a lot of experience with Arab
culture and a few mistakes were made. During one of our first visits to the
family, for example, I kissed both the women and the men on the cheeks, suddenly
realizing that this was probably a complete cultural faux pas. The family was
completely unfazed, however, and has always been very forgiving and tolerant of
our ignorance. Despite our cultural and social differences, we share a common
humanity and emotional bond, and we found that it’s better to jump right in and
make a few mistakes than being too shy and scared to interact with newcomers
from a different culture with limited knowledge of English. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t infantilize </span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because the family we are sponsoring did initially not speak
any English and did not know their way around, we took on a large number of
jobs at the beginning – booking doctor and other appointments, for example,
picking them up and driving them around, sometimes making decisions on their
behalf. It is a fine line between helping people settle in and infantilizing
them, making them dependent on our support. This goes both ways – the family
often continued to ask for support even when we felt they could take on the
task themselves. It is not always easy to figure out the right balance. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></h3>
</div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Being in Canada does not
mean being happy ever after</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some people may expect that refugees’ problems are over once
they reach Canada, where they are safe and have a roof over their heads. But
while they are physically here – and grateful for the warm welcome they have
received in Canada - their minds are often still back home. Gruesome images and
news reports from the war in Syria are continuously coming in on various
electronic devices. There is a constant stream of calls and messages from loved
ones who are still in Syria or are refugees in neighbouring countries. The
constant worry, and the guilt of being here and not being able to help, can be
overwhelming, and makes settling in more difficult. Many sponsorship groups
will face the challenge of being asked to sponsor additional family members. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Don’t let setbacks
get you down</span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with many things in life, sponsoring a refugee family is
not always smooth sailing. There are many ups but also quite a few downs - unexpected
challenges and frustrations. It is
important to accept that setbacks are normal - it does not mean that the
settlement is unsuccessful. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWJoCwONij4gvWMypgLP7PFtbJs8XnpSnebsNyAPOqr19OJIVNEpDzhUEkC8qOynZEz0E3wIl3qX5fIRAPOLDb8k50qOSsOoXs1DPI23b4wGE5IUtW_Ye1OzqObeVo_a9uZXAc3f5gyu3/s1600/_DSC3753-Edit-Edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWJoCwONij4gvWMypgLP7PFtbJs8XnpSnebsNyAPOqr19OJIVNEpDzhUEkC8qOynZEz0E3wIl3qX5fIRAPOLDb8k50qOSsOoXs1DPI23b4wGE5IUtW_Ye1OzqObeVo_a9uZXAc3f5gyu3/s400/_DSC3753-Edit-Edit.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Some of the Ripple Refugee group members at a meeting</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a strong core
group</span></b></h3>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While our group is relatively big, only a handful of people
are actively engaged on a regular basis. Some members are traveling a lot,
others are busy with work and family and only sporadically interact with our
sponsored family. It is vital to have a strong leader and a small group of committed,
hands-on members who continuously give the sponsored family not only practical,
but also emotional support throughout the year. Before deciding to sponsor
refugees, groups should discuss very clearly if members are around throughout
the year, and are willing to be involved on a regular basis. Less engaged
members can support the settlement activities on an ad hoc basis.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<b><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Do your homework </span></b></h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When we decided to sponsor refugees there were not many
resources available. This has changed, and I would highly recommend to anyone
thinking about sponsorship to either do a training with the <a href="http://www.rstp.ca/en/" target="_blank">Refugee SponsorshipTraining Program</a> , or read one of the resources that
are available, such as the <a href="http://lifelinesyria.ca/sponsorship-handbook/" target="_blank">Lifeline Syria sponsorship handbook</a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">*These personal reflections were written by RRP member Claudia Blume
and don’t necessarily reflect the views of all members of the group</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-28194865317845760962016-09-09T11:00:00.000-07:002016-09-12T12:36:18.996-07:00The benefits of private refugee sponsorship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Canada is unique in the world in having a program, the Privately
Sponsored Refugee (PSR) program, wherein private citizens can form groups to
sponsor and help settle refugees. In
1986, this program won the UN’s Nansen Medal, the only time a whole country has
been recognized by this refugee-focused award. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Based on Canadian immigration department studies, refugees settled
through the PSR model have much better long term outcomes than those who are
settled by Government agencies. For
example, when compared to Government Assisted Refugees (GARs) after a year or
two, PSRs have higher levels of English proficiency, are more likely to be
working and at higher wage levels, are less likely to be relying on government
agencies or financial support, report greater connection to their community and
to the country and are less likely to return to their previous home country. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are a number of other very important direct and indirect benefits
of the PSR model for settling refugees versus the more common Government-agency
settlement model. To begin with, since PSR’s
are largely or wholly paid for out of private donations, this refugee
settlement program is much more cost effective, from a Canadian taxpayer point
of view. Furthermore, for the private
citizens who are involved, it is a real participatory, community-building
experience which helps foster neighborhood relationships, enable cross-cultural
understanding, build grass-roots support for refugee issues, increase
appreciation for our communities and our country, and enhance citizens’ awareness
of the challenges faced by the lower-income segments in our society.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/jDDN6f5nlS0/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jDDN6f5nlS0?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite its many documented benefits versus the GAR model for settling
refugees, government support for the PSR model has been modest, to say the
least, over the last 40 years and it remains an under-promoted and underfunded
program. The general public’s interest
and participation in the program has undergone enormous volatility over the
years. There was a major peak in 1979 /
1980 as a response to the so-called Vietnamese Boat-People crisis. Then,
after a long period of relatively low volumes with the exception of a spike
during the Bosnian war, interest in the program has once again dramatically
risen during the last 12 months as a result of the Syrian Crisis. Outside of these 3 peak periods,
participation in this program has been narrowly focused in faith communities or
ethnic organizations rather than having a broader involvement from Canadian
society as a whole.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It is also important to note that although PSR groups are executing on
an important, sensitive, and complex project, that of settling and integrating
into our communities vulnerable and, in some cases, traumatized people from
widely different backgrounds, the Canadians who undertake these projects do so
with little or no support, training, experience or qualifications. The lack of advocates or centralized comprehensive
resource supports for PSR groups leads them to feel like they are ‘going it
alone’, ‘making it up as they go along’ and ‘reinventing the wheel’ in their
efforts to settle refugees. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><i>By Andrew FitzGerald. This post has also been published on the <a href="https://canada4refugees.org/" target="_blank">Canada4Refugees </a>blog. </i></span></div>
</div>
The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-39901448801076228132016-06-05T15:38:00.004-07:002016-07-16T18:16:15.720-07:00Cooking with Nahla<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ePlQdOkLc3z2lDRHhEwB4jNx5vR1aZq_S7GI8yDBSWTUwzgokOc5n8wPUhkTyqOlWr_z0W0hC4mr1Erli38IsrHA5brHpKNNW1okzZZMjeOAW05lxG1_jQdOOXUhSdTGhW55bL2bSTVY/s1600/IMG_0015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ePlQdOkLc3z2lDRHhEwB4jNx5vR1aZq_S7GI8yDBSWTUwzgokOc5n8wPUhkTyqOlWr_z0W0hC4mr1Erli38IsrHA5brHpKNNW1okzZZMjeOAW05lxG1_jQdOOXUhSdTGhW55bL2bSTVY/s320/IMG_0015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our group members spent a lot of time since the Abdallahs' arrival in December helping the family members navigate life in
Toronto, trying to introduce them to Canadian life and culture. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We realized
that this has often been a one-way street. Because of the language barrier (which
is getting smaller every day!) it has been more difficult for the family to
share their culture and traditions with us. </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9JydzqVJ1KxG8mUf70jGuAoBv-ivlngwX5xd3VLc3ic4pRAJWRMLbIiPe85bHQ4McA7jcMg0tESnmngrPa7VCDj4gWumcBr817hCR9I4gY6cb8wvbeNALvECah5NgnXwpWXamC653o1Z/s1600/IMG_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW9JydzqVJ1KxG8mUf70jGuAoBv-ivlngwX5xd3VLc3ic4pRAJWRMLbIiPe85bHQ4McA7jcMg0tESnmngrPa7VCDj4gWumcBr817hCR9I4gY6cb8wvbeNALvECah5NgnXwpWXamC653o1Z/s320/IMG_0019.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But one language is universal: food!
We were very fortunate that Nahla, the matriarch of the family, and her
daughter-in-law Sawsan showed us how to prepare some of their very delicious
Syrian dishes. When we ate together – after patriarch Abdallah had given a
beautiful Arabic blessing – we truly felt like one big family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The women do not follow written recipes but we have taken notes
of the ingredients and steps involved in making the dishes – we hope you’ll
enjoy them as much as we did!</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbcEd4jO_GR6EwbQbs_INy0Fi2XPyX-rK6_eUKoVwZmK6W8G6BfZuinc18l9X_gZ5uEQWzofo4NDf5eeWRMgdnLGkRBszumq2B0AzQt9BDTISk5kI61Z94Y2GnpOaWIiLOPPKIvWnu9HI/s1600/IMG_0069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEbcEd4jO_GR6EwbQbs_INy0Fi2XPyX-rK6_eUKoVwZmK6W8G6BfZuinc18l9X_gZ5uEQWzofo4NDf5eeWRMgdnLGkRBszumq2B0AzQt9BDTISk5kI61Z94Y2GnpOaWIiLOPPKIvWnu9HI/s400/IMG_0069.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJr34CQ0CPFSkzz_hvJYI3QYpLL1qn2xQ79g1ZJHQ6bdV1AkugPX1qgo7xg-RyczyquGkr7mNRTJ_P08_36bkJ-gn_86_HGlXkdSQDDIdVkEH8mRPmziH_F55alXbLIHvxtegt-WZ_D7L7/s1600/IMG_0043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJr34CQ0CPFSkzz_hvJYI3QYpLL1qn2xQ79g1ZJHQ6bdV1AkugPX1qgo7xg-RyczyquGkr7mNRTJ_P08_36bkJ-gn_86_HGlXkdSQDDIdVkEH8mRPmziH_F55alXbLIHvxtegt-WZ_D7L7/s320/IMG_0043.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Chicken à la Nahla</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Remove skin from chicken drumsticks, place them in big pot with boiling water</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Add cinnamon powder and cinnamon sticks, cardamom, onion slices, salt, ginger, turmeric and coriander. Boil chicken in broth for 45 minutes</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Peel potatoes, cut them into thin slices</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI-q2vsbh4i6ekLstN128kJAPjz95gyrN5Rc45j1hVFJA3VZyK1FAyodG3vEaRpo6ZyDD-vNGfOZA9XntPmhcr_cnoqPHLc26GXQ-II8ape5dX8vfFilglFmVFXN50j7bDJby1Jp6bq0T/s1600/IMG_0044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDI-q2vsbh4i6ekLstN128kJAPjz95gyrN5Rc45j1hVFJA3VZyK1FAyodG3vEaRpo6ZyDD-vNGfOZA9XntPmhcr_cnoqPHLc26GXQ-II8ape5dX8vfFilglFmVFXN50j7bDJby1Jp6bq0T/s320/IMG_0044.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Deep fry potato slices in batches, set aside.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Deep fry onion slices</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Place one layer of fried potato slices on bottom of large casserole.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. Add boiled chicken drumsticks on top. Add some of the chicken stock. Keep the rest for rice.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. Add sliced onions and another layer of deep-fried potato slices</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9. Put casserole in oven for 20 minutes or cook on stove for another 20 minutes</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10. Mix freshly-squeezed lemon juice and minced garlic. Pour some of the mixture over the chicken casserole before serving</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Syrian salad</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Cut cucumbers, green peppers, carrots and tomatoes into small pieces</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Chop mint, parsley and green salad</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Mix in large bowl</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Pour rest of the lemon-garlic mixture over the salad before serving</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fatteh</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Cut pita bread into thin stripes</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Deep-fry pita slices until crispy. Put aside</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. In large bowl, mix 2 containers of joghurt with two containers of hummus.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Add some Tahini</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">5. Add garlic, 1 spoonful of cardamom and mix well</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">6. Empty two chickpea containers with liquid into cooking pot, boil for a few minutes</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">7. Place pita strips on bottom of casserole dish</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">8. Ladle joghurt-hummus mix on pita strips</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">9. Sprinkle dish with cayenne pepper and cumin</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10. Ladle heated chickpeas onto dish</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">11. Heat up ghee (optional), pour over Fatteh before serving</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rice à la Nahla<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasegpnon4984Mu0GRQ7_YiQ7u9f0hp8X9vVnchzO0tp4dA7uPhowRY_gNziI4gp4lK23-oCDHtyM9-OWP2jteKorV-i3oTLJSxqa4wVTMeOIx8j5ivvbfBozUjLe_5ak8fGxyEBxOlQ-Q/s1600/IMG_0063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgasegpnon4984Mu0GRQ7_YiQ7u9f0hp8X9vVnchzO0tp4dA7uPhowRY_gNziI4gp4lK23-oCDHtyM9-OWP2jteKorV-i3oTLJSxqa4wVTMeOIx8j5ivvbfBozUjLe_5ak8fGxyEBxOlQ-Q/s320/IMG_0063.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1. Mix dry rice with oil and ghee</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2. Add salt, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and coriander</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3. Add left-over chicken stock, with come chicken pieces</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">4. Bring to boil</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">By Claudia Blume</span></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-9541568630053398102016-04-08T14:36:00.000-07:002016-04-08T14:43:19.657-07:00URGENT: Please tell your Liberal MP before Monday that the government needs to continue its support for Syrian refugees<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As you may have read in the newspapers, it has become apparent to Private Sponsorship groups that the Canadian Government is pulling back in its support for Syrian Refugees now that they have met their election promise.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Yesterday the Ripple Refugee Group's chair Andrew FitzGerald, along with former Toronto mayor John Sewell and two other representatives from Private Sponsorship groups, had a<a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2016/04/07/ottawa-to-send-staff-back-to-middle-east-to-fast-track-syrian-refugee-sponsorship.html" target="_blank"> private meeting </a>with Immigration Minister McCallum in order to encourage continued Canadian government prioritization for the Private Sponsorship program for Syrian Refugees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As there is a Liberal Party caucus meeting early next week to review their overall commitment to the Syrian refugee crisis, we encourage all of you to write to your local Liberal MP (you can find contact details for your MP <a href="http://www.parl.gc.ca/parliamentarians/en/constituencies" target="_blank">here</a>) copying Immigration Minister McCallum (email: <a href="mailto:john.mccallum@parl.gc.ca" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 18.46px;" target="_blank">john.mccallum@parl.gc.ca</a>) to emphasize your strong support for continued focus on Syrian Refugees initiatives.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pfSRbPlhteKN0gf0civFICuzj9SBf-HWaRe0AbSOKJixwNeGoldKWH5jDr1Xn58gwQhaU-bX0eP4wIQ4e62HLSefxd5crxnRNfzmHeVc6ubEE9vQ0yXPwV0wM9bUZWuOj4D4hoWnKG42/s1600/protest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pfSRbPlhteKN0gf0civFICuzj9SBf-HWaRe0AbSOKJixwNeGoldKWH5jDr1Xn58gwQhaU-bX0eP4wIQ4e62HLSefxd5crxnRNfzmHeVc6ubEE9vQ0yXPwV0wM9bUZWuOj4D4hoWnKG42/s320/protest.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In particular, we want to communicate that </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) We don't agree with the Government that any new applications, even if they are fully paid for and settled by private sponsorship groups, should be subject to overall refugee caps and be processed in the normal 24 - 42 month time frame. This is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and we have mobilized and privately-funded citizen groups ready to help out - lets not waste that resource! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If this becomes government policy, as it looks likely to happen, then thousands of Private Sponsorship groups who have raised money and made preparations to settle Syrian families will have to wait several years or more before their applications are processed. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) Domestic and overseas immigration staffing resources should be restored to Feb. 2016 </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">levels to expedite the arrival of already approved Syrian refugee families to Canada. Waiting until the end of 2016, or early 2017, as the government has indicated is the new timeline, for those whose applications are already in process p</span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; line-height: 18.46px;">uts the refugee families in danger given their precarious overseas living arrangements. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are at a turning point in this nation-wide, grassroots humanitarian project - but without government support it will all come to naught. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Please do communicate with your Liberal MP and Minister McCallum as soon as possible to convey your strong support for this historical grassroots humanitarian initiative that Private Sponsorship groups represent.</span></span></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-60107188356016930502016-04-04T18:17:00.001-07:002016-04-07T06:42:27.931-07:00New government policies put a damper on private refugee sponsorship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">n the past six months, thousands of highly motivated people across Canada have come together to form sponsorship groups to bring in Syrian refugees, raising millions of dollars to support them in their first year. Given the priority the new Canadian government was giving to Syrian refugees, most have been optimistic that a family would be assigned to them soon and arrive within a few months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">But at the end of February, when the government had fulfilled its election promise to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees, it quietly and without warning changed its policy and the flow of refugees to sponsorship group was almost completely stopped. It appears that the </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">majority of the 8,000 privately sponsored Syrian refugees who have arrived so far (17,000 were government-sponsored) were old applications initiated and in the pipeline long before the Alan Kurdi photo and therefore not part of the nationwide community private-sponsorship trend that started in September 2015.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBFDjztFycaUEGNkns0eE6qmJFqZgcOVi6kUxVfncAAUbHCfN18yW5C2q8tGVyo4cyd9p-bxqnsT42g6Er-FqCmMCpxl4r-4dLehbXxmpjcROx8SsfvTbogxWhcdquLfttwzm2hTWQkgS/s1600/church2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnBFDjztFycaUEGNkns0eE6qmJFqZgcOVi6kUxVfncAAUbHCfN18yW5C2q8tGVyo4cyd9p-bxqnsT42g6Er-FqCmMCpxl4r-4dLehbXxmpjcROx8SsfvTbogxWhcdquLfttwzm2hTWQkgS/s320/church2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To voice their anger about the change in government policies, more than 300 members of sponsorship groups gathered in a downtown Toronto church on March 30. The very </span><a href="http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/04/01/how-to-deal-with-an-angry-mob-of-do-gooders-porter.html" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">emotionally charged meeting</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> was convened by John Sewell, the former mayor of Toronto, who summed up the main policy changes that will result in a considerable delay in bringing in Syrian refugees:</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #202020; font-weight: normal;">1.</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #202020;"> </span></strong>The government has released all re-assigned and temporary staff processing Syrian refugees and closed processing centres in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. This means we are back to a system where it takes months to process and register a family through regular visa offices.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #202020; font-weight: normal;">2.</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #202020;"> </span></strong>The government has released re-assigned temporary staff in the Winnipeg processing centre and no longer prioritizes Syrian families. Processing times used to be 10 days; now we are back to a three month processing time for a family.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: #202020; font-weight: normal;">3</span></strong><strong><span style="color: #202020;">. </span></strong>There will no longer be a special priority for Syrians: they will be treated like other refugees, which means a long wait.<br />
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Syrian refugees will also have to pay for their flights to Canada again.<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Arif Virani, Parliamentary Secretary of John McCallum, the Minister of Immigration Refugees and Citizenship, was at the meeting and told us that sponsorship applications received until midnight on March 31</span><sup style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">st</sup><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> – the next day!- would most likely still be processed in 2016, or early 2017. Obviously, a day’s notice for this deadline was not enough for most people to finish filing their application.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #202020;">Write a letter to minister John McCallum </span>(<a href="mailto:john.mccallum@parl.gc.ca" target="_blank" title="Email this Member – john.mccallum@parl.gc.ca"><span style="color: #2baadf;">john.mccallum@parl.gc.ca</span></a>) <span style="color: #444444;">and copy his parliamentary secretary Arif Virani (</span><a href="mailto:arif.virani@paarl.ca" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0068cf;">arif.virani@paarl.ca</span></a><span style="color: #444444;">) and your own MP (or better yet meet with your MP) to highlight / convey your displeasure and emphasize the following messages:</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">a) Government staffing / processing capacity should be restored immediately to pre-Feb, 28th levels in order to process existing and upcoming Syrian refugee applications as quickly as possible<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">b) No caps should be put on private sponsorships of Syrians since they are privately funded and settled - and therefore don't strain the government's settlement agencies or budget. Furthermore, from an economic point of view, this would be a stimulus measure as there is upwards of $30mm sitting in bank accounts waiting to be spent by private sponsor groups in settling refugees. Spending this money would stimulate the economy more than leaving it sitting in bank accounts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">c) All Syrian applications currently in the pipeline, or submitted within the next 3 months, should be expedited as the Syrian situation is a huge, unique and global crisis and deserves our support and focus.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">d) Overall, the government should seek to support private sponsorship groups that have formed across the country - and not abandon us in favour of their own Syrian GAR refugees. They can do both. Privately sponsored refugees are more successfully settled compared to agency-settled refugees and have better long term outcomes (income, English skills, remaining in Canada etc.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><b>Please do share this information with your networks and encourage people to communicate with their MPs and Minister McCallum </b>- we are at a cross-roads and the more people who clearly communicate with the government on this issue about what we expect government policy should be, the more likely that the Syrian refugee crisis will get the attention it deserves and private sponsorships will get the support they warrant. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For more information and updates on this issue, go to the <a href="http://www.to4refugees.org/" target="_blank">Toronto For Refugees</a> blog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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What do these policy changes mean for the Ripple Refugee Group?</span></b></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We had handed in applications for two more families to Lifeline Syria, but they had not been sent to the government yet. One of our group members worked until the early morning after the March 30 meeting to finalize these applications with the <a href="http://lifelinesyria.ca/" target="_blank">Lifeline Syria</a> team to meet the March 31 deadline. We are working on the applications for two more case files and hope that the government will extend the deadline – if not, we may have to wait for a year or even longer before they will be able to come to Canada.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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The Ripple Refugee Projecthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05851330555511453218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4895971859135210086.post-59377528127594048132016-02-05T11:25:00.002-08:002016-02-12T07:05:45.055-08:00"Soon, all of Canada will be our family"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px;">"We were humiliated in Lebanon. Here, we're happy and feel respected,' the Abdallah family told the CBC's Piya </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #595959; line-height: 16px;">Chattopadhyaya in a lovely documentary that aired on the <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-february-5-2016-1.3435098/soon-all-of-canada-will-be-our-family-syrian-family-adjusts-to-a-new-home-1.3435130" target="_blank">The Current </a>this morning. Thank you to the CBC for letting the (very articulate) family tell their story in their own words - from their traumatic experiences in Syria and Lebanon to a hopeful new beginning in Canada. </span></span></div>
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