'It's going to take a lot to rebuild their lives': Nearly 100 Afghan refugees settle in Edmonton
Over the past two months, Canada has been welcoming thousands of Afghan refugees fleeing their country now under Taliban rule to safety.
So far, Edmonton has welcomed 88 newcomers, 20 families, to the city.
“The people who came in these groups, most of them vulnerable, were journalists or most of them were women, especially women who did not have a future in Afghanistan anymore,” Hellay Naikyar, settlement counsellor for Catholic Social Services (CSS), said.
“Many of them boarded a plane with only a couple of hours notice with only the sandals on their feet and the clothes on their back,” Troy Davies, the CEO of CSS, added.
When refugees arrive, they are placed into a 14-day quarantine where they are given resources on how to have a “smooth transition and life in Canada,” Naikyar told CTV News Edmonton.
The agency helps with language services, documentation, housing placement and even the basics like clothing to make it through the long Canadian winters.
“You start from zero,” she said. “I just put myself in their shoes.”
Naikyar came to Canada in 2004 and is very familiar with the process of rebuilding a life in an unfamiliar country.
“I just thought if I was helped, then I could pass on that too, to this group of people,” she explained.
“The first impression stays with them forever.”
'A FAIR CHANCE'
While in quarantine, Daba Berenda, the team leader at Reception House, said his team ensures everyone receives a welcome package in their room ahead of time full of PPE. He also coordinates someone who speaks their first language to ensure they understand what’s going on during the orientation sessions online.
“They’re not allowed to move out of the room and they are not accessible to anyone except the staff,” he noted.
Once the 14 days have passed and none of the refugees have tested positive for COVID-19, they’re moved out and placed into affordable housing.
However, Frank Bessai, team leader for the orientation outreach and volunteer programs with CSS, said one of the first things on their minds is, “How can I sponsor my family to come and live in Canada?”
“We’re very mindful that people have left family overseas and there’s people who are dependent on them to come to Canada,” he said.
“These folks have walked a very arduous journey and arriving in Canada is just the beginning. It's going to take a lot to rebuild their lives,” Davies added.
But, aside from wanting to help their loved ones left behind, Bessai said refugees often ask about Canadian behaviours and tend to be shocked by the country's “visible poverty.”
“That’s something they don’t think of when they come to Canada,” he explained.
Especially since a lot of newcomers will live in those areas in the beginning until they settle in.
“We want everyone to be given a fair chance,” Davies told CTV News. “We’re dealing with populations of people that have been traumatized from their situation overseas, so I think it’s critically important that Canadian people remember how our country is built on having an open heart, on creating a welcome environment for all those from all parts of the world.”
HOW TO HELP
Since most families fled Afghanistan with the bare minimum, Davies said they are looking for aid such as warm clothing, school supplies or even diapers for newborns.
“Let’s wrap ourselves around these newcomers and give them what they need so they can be set up for success in their new country.”
To donate head to the CSS website.
With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Touria Izri
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Life got in the way of one woman's reunion with her father, but a DNA test gained her a family
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.