Refuge to Roots: Iraq-Syria-Beyond
Donation protected
Who We Are
My Story (HF Salhi)
As someone who arrived in Canada as an Iraqi refugee in the 1990s, I know the fear, pain, and suffering that comes with such a status. The crisis in Iraq seems to be getting worse, and I am actively raising funds to privately sponsor my family of eight who are currently in Iraq. To help sponsor my family, I have joined Refuge to Roots in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Our Cause:
Refuge to Roots is a group that is actively engaged in sponsoring refugees through the Settlement Agreement Holder (SAH) program of the Government of Canada and to support those who arrived as Government Assisted Refugees. At this point, we are focused on sponsoring families from Syria and Iraq. Refuge to Roots grew from a 9,000-strong network group of professional and entrepreneurial women in Canada's capital. We are actively raising funds to support Syrian Refugees via the SAH program and are taking on the private sponsorship of my family as well.
Aya’s Story
Recently, Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York (HONY) profiled the case of Aya, a young Iraqi woman who became internally displaced within Iraq because of the 2003 Iraq war. Aya was later able to obtain refugee status in Syria, but has been displaced a second time—to Turkey—due to the ongoing Syrian civil war. In the event that Aya is unable to go to the USA, Refuge to Roots is willing to privately sponsor Aya and her family to come to Canada.
Aya will have first right of refusal for the sponsorship funds we are raising through this campaign (housing, food, clothing etc.) should she accept it and be successful through the immigration process and the same applies to HF Salhi’s family if Aya doesn’t accept our offer.
Refuge to Roots has connected with Aya to extend our offer of sponsorship. She has thanked us and understands that should her appeal to the USA not be successful, Canada will be her second option.
Additionally, We will continue our fundraising work to support HF Salhi’s family, and Syrian refugees in the SAH program and others.
What We Do:
Refuge to Roots’ Work
The cost to sponsor a family of five people is approximately $29,000 (CAD)*. (Note that this figure can vary depending on the province and city in which the family settles.) The funds from our campaign will be spent on immigration fees, medical examinations, flights, housing, food, clothing, transportation and initial set-up costs required for establishing a family in Canada. Every cent of the money we raise from this campaign will go towards the sponsorship of refugees. Refuge to Roots is a group comprised solely of caring and dedicated volunteers.
How the Funds Will be Used:
Refuge to Roots will pay directly for flights, medical examinations, start-up costs and housing for the first three months upon arrival. Thereafter, money will be given to the refugee families to pay their bills and help them otherwise integrate into Canadian life and culture.
We will continue to work directly with the families we sponsor for a period of one year after their arrival, and we will draw on our extensive network of resources to help them find employment, learn Canada’s official language services (if required), enroll in school, find family doctors, etc. We continue to fundraise for Syrian refugees independently of this crowd-funding initiative as well.
Thank you for your kindness and in helping us with the work we do at Refuge to Roots.
*For more information on sponsorship costs and how this is possible, please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/resources/publications/ref-sponsor/section-2.asp#a2.2
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladieswhosponsorpage/
My Story (HF Salhi)
As someone who arrived in Canada as an Iraqi refugee in the 1990s, I know the fear, pain, and suffering that comes with such a status. The crisis in Iraq seems to be getting worse, and I am actively raising funds to privately sponsor my family of eight who are currently in Iraq. To help sponsor my family, I have joined Refuge to Roots in Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Our Cause:
Refuge to Roots is a group that is actively engaged in sponsoring refugees through the Settlement Agreement Holder (SAH) program of the Government of Canada and to support those who arrived as Government Assisted Refugees. At this point, we are focused on sponsoring families from Syria and Iraq. Refuge to Roots grew from a 9,000-strong network group of professional and entrepreneurial women in Canada's capital. We are actively raising funds to support Syrian Refugees via the SAH program and are taking on the private sponsorship of my family as well.
Aya’s Story
Recently, Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York (HONY) profiled the case of Aya, a young Iraqi woman who became internally displaced within Iraq because of the 2003 Iraq war. Aya was later able to obtain refugee status in Syria, but has been displaced a second time—to Turkey—due to the ongoing Syrian civil war. In the event that Aya is unable to go to the USA, Refuge to Roots is willing to privately sponsor Aya and her family to come to Canada.
Aya will have first right of refusal for the sponsorship funds we are raising through this campaign (housing, food, clothing etc.) should she accept it and be successful through the immigration process and the same applies to HF Salhi’s family if Aya doesn’t accept our offer.
Refuge to Roots has connected with Aya to extend our offer of sponsorship. She has thanked us and understands that should her appeal to the USA not be successful, Canada will be her second option.
Additionally, We will continue our fundraising work to support HF Salhi’s family, and Syrian refugees in the SAH program and others.
What We Do:
Refuge to Roots’ Work
The cost to sponsor a family of five people is approximately $29,000 (CAD)*. (Note that this figure can vary depending on the province and city in which the family settles.) The funds from our campaign will be spent on immigration fees, medical examinations, flights, housing, food, clothing, transportation and initial set-up costs required for establishing a family in Canada. Every cent of the money we raise from this campaign will go towards the sponsorship of refugees. Refuge to Roots is a group comprised solely of caring and dedicated volunteers.
How the Funds Will be Used:
Refuge to Roots will pay directly for flights, medical examinations, start-up costs and housing for the first three months upon arrival. Thereafter, money will be given to the refugee families to pay their bills and help them otherwise integrate into Canadian life and culture.
We will continue to work directly with the families we sponsor for a period of one year after their arrival, and we will draw on our extensive network of resources to help them find employment, learn Canada’s official language services (if required), enroll in school, find family doctors, etc. We continue to fundraise for Syrian refugees independently of this crowd-funding initiative as well.
Thank you for your kindness and in helping us with the work we do at Refuge to Roots.
*For more information on sponsorship costs and how this is possible, please visit: http://www.cic.gc.ca/English/resources/publications/ref-sponsor/section-2.asp#a2.2
Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ladieswhosponsorpage/
Organizer
Juli Stoneberg
Organizer
Gloucester, ON