Syrian newcomers fundraising to help refugees arriving in Nova Scotia

A group created by people who came to Canada as Syrian refugees is fundraising to help others in the same situation.

“We wanted to make something useful for this beautiful city,” Loai Al Rifai, a co-founder of the Nova Scotia Syrian Society, said on Tuesday.

He came to Canada as Syrian refugee about two years ago. Al Rifai said he’s working on becoming a doctor again and wants to help other Syrian newcomers achieve their dreams.

The group created a school last year for children. It’s housed in an apartment building’s common room and a YMCA’s room. The subjects taught include Canadian culture, Arabic culture, and computer skills, he said.

The group is trying to raise $50,000 via a fundraising campaign to expand its services.

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Al Rifai said members of the group want to fund accounts to provide interest-free loans for members dealing with emergencies. They also want to offer microloans for members to start businesses or improve their education.

One of the goals of the group is to help newcomers better integrate into their communities.

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Wenche Gausdal, director of programs for settlement, community integration and support services for the Immigrant Services Association of Nova Scotia, said those who come to Canada as refugees often face challenges such as finding housing, getting a job, and dealing with language barriers.

“The refugees, when they’re coming, they are not coming always because they want to immigrate to Canada. It is because they are leaving a situation where they can’t stay or they can’t return to, so it depends on what they have experienced through all of that. That takes a while for that whole family to settle in,” she said.