Hope Restored: 12 Months of Caring for Nour
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Hope Restored: 12 Months of Caring for a Syrian Family Arriving in Canada
This month, Nour and her family received the news they have been waiting for. After years of waiting – of surviving two civil wars and a 18-month stay in a dangerous town in Lebanon – this family of Syrian refugees is finally coming to Canada.
The problem? There’s no money for rent. The family arrives on April 24. We need to act quickly.
Offer rescinded
It was not supposed to be this way. Over two years ago, when we first applied to bring the family to Canada, we were lucky enough to receive an offer of one year of free accommodation at a home in Scarborough.
As their wait to come to Canada dragged on, however, the circumstances of their host home changed, and the offer was rescinded. The funds we raised for their private sponsorship - $14K through a collective effort of generosity – barely covers the high cost of living in Toronto – let alone the rent.
Their story
It has been a long journey. Back in 2008, when Nour and Khaled met in Homs, Syria, the future seemed bright. She was a student and he worked at the local coffee shop.
Nour’s dream of finishing her degree came to an end in 2012 when her university was torched in the fighting that swept across Homs . As she says now, “I was just thinking that I want to die first. I don’t want to see my family die.”
With the Syrian civil war raging around them, Nour and Khaled fled to Tripoli, Libya, which at the time seemed like a safer option. When a second civil war started in Libya, they found themselves in danger once again.
A new start
In August 2016, the family fled to Lebanon, and applied to come to Canada as refugees. They quickly learned that Syrians are forbidden from working or living like normal citizens in Lebanon. They survived for 20 months in a city run by gangs, where it could be a fatal mistake to go out after dark.
On April 24, 2019, the years of suffering come to an end as the family finally flies in Canada as permanent residents. Nour, who has been so touched by the support of her volunteer friends, hopes to be a teacher and a volunteer for other newcomers. "You have all inspired me to be a better person," she says.
She is eager to see her son go to a Canadian school and play with other children, in an atmosphere of safety and security. Her husband Khaled, who has the entrepreneurial spirit of many Syrians, plans to start his own coffee shop and restaurant. First, however, he must improve his English – and Nour has to go to school to gain local qualifications.
Under the private sponsorship program, the family is expected to devote their first year to getting an education – to best position themselves for a job market that can be tough for newcomers.
The need
That is why we need to raise $24K, which provides them with $2,000 a month. That covers rent and utilities for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto.
Who are we?
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to get to know Nour and Khaled include: Laura-Jean Bernhardson of Fresh Collective, the Toronto fashion label and Siyar Abu Hantash, of Canada Today Arab news, and Stephen Watt and Marcella Tomàs, who are active in helping Syrian newcomers settle in Canada.
Together our group completed the family's refugee application, with the help of lead sposor Jennifer Maier. We also spearheaded the initial fundraising that allowed the application to go forward, and supported the family survive during their time in Lebanon.
The family is just weeks from starting their new life. Until then, their survival and well-being is in our hands. With your help, we’ll help this hopeful young family get a brand new start in a country they are looking forward to call home.
Thanks for your support! And please share this!
This month, Nour and her family received the news they have been waiting for. After years of waiting – of surviving two civil wars and a 18-month stay in a dangerous town in Lebanon – this family of Syrian refugees is finally coming to Canada.
The problem? There’s no money for rent. The family arrives on April 24. We need to act quickly.
Offer rescinded
It was not supposed to be this way. Over two years ago, when we first applied to bring the family to Canada, we were lucky enough to receive an offer of one year of free accommodation at a home in Scarborough.
As their wait to come to Canada dragged on, however, the circumstances of their host home changed, and the offer was rescinded. The funds we raised for their private sponsorship - $14K through a collective effort of generosity – barely covers the high cost of living in Toronto – let alone the rent.
Their story
It has been a long journey. Back in 2008, when Nour and Khaled met in Homs, Syria, the future seemed bright. She was a student and he worked at the local coffee shop.
Nour’s dream of finishing her degree came to an end in 2012 when her university was torched in the fighting that swept across Homs . As she says now, “I was just thinking that I want to die first. I don’t want to see my family die.”
With the Syrian civil war raging around them, Nour and Khaled fled to Tripoli, Libya, which at the time seemed like a safer option. When a second civil war started in Libya, they found themselves in danger once again.
A new start
In August 2016, the family fled to Lebanon, and applied to come to Canada as refugees. They quickly learned that Syrians are forbidden from working or living like normal citizens in Lebanon. They survived for 20 months in a city run by gangs, where it could be a fatal mistake to go out after dark.
On April 24, 2019, the years of suffering come to an end as the family finally flies in Canada as permanent residents. Nour, who has been so touched by the support of her volunteer friends, hopes to be a teacher and a volunteer for other newcomers. "You have all inspired me to be a better person," she says.
She is eager to see her son go to a Canadian school and play with other children, in an atmosphere of safety and security. Her husband Khaled, who has the entrepreneurial spirit of many Syrians, plans to start his own coffee shop and restaurant. First, however, he must improve his English – and Nour has to go to school to gain local qualifications.
Under the private sponsorship program, the family is expected to devote their first year to getting an education – to best position themselves for a job market that can be tough for newcomers.
The need
That is why we need to raise $24K, which provides them with $2,000 a month. That covers rent and utilities for a two-bedroom apartment in Toronto.
Who are we?
Those of us who have been fortunate enough to get to know Nour and Khaled include: Laura-Jean Bernhardson of Fresh Collective, the Toronto fashion label and Siyar Abu Hantash, of Canada Today Arab news, and Stephen Watt and Marcella Tomàs, who are active in helping Syrian newcomers settle in Canada.
Together our group completed the family's refugee application, with the help of lead sposor Jennifer Maier. We also spearheaded the initial fundraising that allowed the application to go forward, and supported the family survive during their time in Lebanon.
The family is just weeks from starting their new life. Until then, their survival and well-being is in our hands. With your help, we’ll help this hopeful young family get a brand new start in a country they are looking forward to call home.
Thanks for your support! And please share this!
Organizer
Stephen Watt
Organizer
Toronto, ON
