WKFoR welcomes a New Syrian Family
By Contributor
On May 30th West Kootenay Friends of Refugees welcomed a new family to Rossland: Maya and her children; Taim and Leen (grades 1 & 3) have arrived. Originally from Syria, the family fled to Iraq before applying through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to immigrate to Canada.
The West Kootenay Friends of Refugees have been busy helping them set up their new life in Canada. The group has welcomed some new, energetic volunteers to get involved and it has made a huge difference. Families with similar aged children have already arranged play dates to Nancy Green Lake, Gyro Park and other activities together. Other volunteers have helped set up a new cell phone account, visits to Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL), the Skills Centre, the Food Bank, the Thrift Store as well as recreational opportunities.
Arriving in the Spring made finding housing relatively easy, and the family is happily ensconced in Lower Rossland. They are friendly and outgoing and are having no trouble connecting with the neighbours already. They arrived in time to get the children enrolled at Rossland Summit School for the last few weeks of the term. The administration, teachers and students have all be so welcoming and helpful.
West Kootenay Friends of Refugees is a group of local volunteers who have been sponsoring refugees from Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan, Jamaica, Trinidad and Eritrea for over twelve years. Every family or individual that has been supported by the group has been launched into a successful life in Canada. WKFoR welcomes new volunteers and donations are tax deductible.
E-transfers to WKFoRfunds@gmail.com are greatly appreciated. Be sure to include your name and email in the message section for a receipt. Contact km@2cats.net for more information or to get involved.
