A Syrian woman could reunite with two younger siblings in Saskatoon if a new crowdfunding effort is successful.
Doha Kharsa arrived in Saskatoon with five children two years ago. Her husband and other child have since joined her.
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Her sister Heba Kharsa, 24, and brother Wafic Kharsa, 16, are in Malaysia – a country with no refugee camps that bars refugees from receiving formal education and legal work.
Life in the southeast Asian country is “not very good. The situation is very hard,” Doha Kharsa said, having come to Canada through Malaysia herself.
Her friend Kyla Avis has listened to the hardships the Kharsa family has experienced. She’s now part of a local group called “Moms 4 Refugees.”
“I’m committed to bringing their family together as much as possible because even though they might be safe in another country, it’s not the same as being together with your family,” Avis said.
Moms 4 Refugees has set up a crowdfunding page where people can donate money to privately sponsor the Kharsa siblings. As of Friday, it had raised more than $1,700 in three days.
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Jocelyn Orb joined the cause, in part, because she’s also a mother and empathized with Doha Kharsa’s pursuit.
“It’s a real leap of faith to give money. Most of the people we know have given money, but they haven’t met Doha and her family,” Orb said.
Despite the challenges ahead, Kharsa said she has hope and the response from donors has been “amazing.”
“It makes me feel like there’s peace in the world and people are still nice.”