‘Sea Prayer’ – by Khaled Hosseini, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
‘SEA PRAYER’ WRITTEN BY KHALED HOSSEINI, UNHCR GOODWILL AMBASSADOR My dear Marwan In the long summers of childhood, when I was a boy the age you are now, your uncles and I spread our mattress on the roof of your grandfather’s farmhouse, outside of Homs. We woke in...
Finnish ‘grandmother’ helps troubled toddler find peace
Azaldeen and his young daughter are starting over on a small island in south-west Finland, after family tragedy forced them to flee Baghdad. By Caroline Bach in Nagu, Finland Diana arrived in Finland aged just two in October 2015, struggling to come to terms with the...
Sky is the limit for refugee who fled Somalia
Arriving in Canada as refugee was overwhelming for Osman, but now he has found his feet and is determined to help others. By Leyland Cecco and Annie Sakkab in Toronto, Canada When he first arrived in Canada as a refugee in 1978, Osman Ali felt confused, overwhelmed...
The Hungarian entrepreneur who styled a new life in Canada
Fifty years ago, a boy fled Hungary and found sanctuary in Canada. Now he is living his dream by running his own business. By Leyland Cecco and Annie Sakkab in Toronto, Canada Tom Milhalik sells suits at Toronto’s Kensington Market. Grey suits, blue suits. Suits for...
3 Holiday Gifts That Will Transform Refugee Lives
With the refugee crisis that has shaken the globe in 2016, the holidays mark a special opportunity to make a difference in the life of a refugee. That is why UNHCR makes it easy to give gifts where they’re needed most through our Gift Catalogue. For less than $100,...
A Syrian Family Finds Acceptance for their Disabled Children through Canadian Resettlement
By Erla Cabrera, Ottawa, Canada – 24 April 2017 A Syrian mother recalls the warm welcome received upon her family’s arrival Thanks to the warm welcome and 24-hour care provided by a group of YMCA volunteers in Saint John, New Brunswick, a newly resettled Syrian family...
Canadian entrepreneur invests millions in Syrian refugees
Jim Estill explains why he is teaming up with community leaders to help resettle and employ refugees in Guelph, Ontario. By Leyland Cecco and Annie Sakkab in Guelph, Canada Jim Estill may have helped to resettle 58 refugee families in the Canadian city of Guelph, but...
6 Things Canadian Sponsors Love About Meeting Syrian Refugees
Arriving in a new country can be a scary experience, but when Najwa and Reyad Al Hamoud arrived in Canada they were greeted with jumps of joy. Elaine Hofer, one of the Al Hamoud family’s sponsors, had driven two hours from a Hutterite colony near Brandon, Manitoba, to...