U of R receives overwhelming response to refugee child only summer camp

A new pilot program is welcoming children to a summer camp for refugees. The program is put together at the University of Regina every Saturday with assistance from the Regina Open Doors Society, and volunteers.

Irene Barnes is the program coordinator and said the response to the camp was overwhelming.

“We had a lot of interest but we couldn’t take everyone. There’s a large population that needs these services but we couldn’t take everyone,” Barnes said.

The camp is open to children of refugee families and is about looking towards the future. Volunteers explained the past is never spoken about. Many of the children came from war-ravaged countries like Syria.

Kaitlin Knupp is a fourth year social work student at the University of Regina and volunteered  as a camp counselor because it coincides with her studies.

“We don’t see war. We don’t see any of those things that children have had to go through”, Knupp said.

Knupp explained the summer camp is important because it allows kids to be just kids, and they’re able to forget about adult themed worries.

Mohammed Alahmadi is a volunteer counselor who is also new to Canada. He is an international engineering student and helps translate Arabic.

“It’s very difficult for them because it’s a new environment and a new culture,” Alahmadi said.

“I have been in their shoes before.”

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All of the children at camp speak Arabic, some also know broken English. A majority of camp leaders understand Arabic, but some do not. They said the language barrier encourages the children to communicate in both languages.

“When we started the first session, we asked them to draw something and most of them drew the flag of Syria,” Alahmadi said.

Culture isn’t the only thing that Alahmadi hopes to teach these children.

“Our winter there is just 10 to eight degrees Celsius and it’s not that cold compared to winter in Regina,” Alahmadi explained.

The theme at the camp is that the world is a big place but home is where you make it. It’s good news for these kids; Everyone speaks the universal language of play.

Zainab moved to Canada two months ago with her family from Syria. The young girl said she spent the past two years in Jordan before moving overseas to Canada. When asked about her future in Canada, including the winter, Zainab is optimistic.

“I am excited,” she said.