Wondering how the Syrian refugee crisis will impact Burnaby? That’s the focus of a speakers’ series at a local elementary school. The second session is set for Thursday, Nov. 26, from 7 to 9 p.m., and the topic is: Refugees in Canada, economic and security threat or benefit? Dan Hiebert, a UBC geography professor, is one of the speakers. Hiebert specialises in international migration, national security, human rights and cultural diversity.
The final session, on Thursday, Dec. 10, also from 7 to 9 p.m., will feature speakers from settlement groups, including Immigrant Services Society of B.C. and MOSAIC.
This session will focus on things Burnaby residents can do to help. Both events are at Maywood Community School, at 4567 Imperial St., and admission is free.
I moderated the first panel and introduced two local refugees telling their stories. The first was Syrian refugee Mohammed Alsaleh who lives in New Westminster. Mohammed is still in his 20s, and he was on track to become a doctor in his home country when he fled, fearing for his life. He’s since started retraining here to be a medical assistant, and he volunteers as a translator with Immigrant Services Society of B.C., the group that helped him when he arrived. (I wrote about Mohammed in our sister paper The Record, so Google his name to see the backstory.)
The other speaker was Rawnaq Paikar, a refugee from Afghanistan who came here with his wife and child. He worked in the public sector in Afghanistan, helping with rebuilding efforts, while his wife worked at a non-profit that helped women and street kids get an education. They were both under threat because of the work they did, which is why they fled their homeland. The couple now lives in Burnaby, and Rawnaq sits on the Burnaby Intercultural Planning Table’s immigrant advisory council.
On the settlement side, we heard from Fikre Tsehai from MOSAIC, talking about private sponsorship of refugees, and Chris Friesen from Immigrant Services Society of B.C. on the history of Canada’s humanitarian program.
Charlford House
Want to help women recovering from drug and alcohol abuse? The Pacific Blue Cross is hosting an online contest where people vote for their favourite charity, and Burnaby’s Charlford House is in the running. Charlford House is a local recovery home for women struggling with alcohol and drug dependency. The competing groups are the West Kootenay Community TEETH Clinic Society, the Canim Lake Band Wellness Centre of the Tsq’escenemc People, Streetohome, and the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of B.C. Each group will receive $5,000 for participating, but the final winner gets a total of $50,000, while the runner up gets $10,000. People can vote at www.pac.bluecross.ca/75thanniversary.
Help for girls needed
Big Sisters of B.C. Lower Mainland is looking for volunteers in Burnaby to mentor young girls.The organization matches young girls and teens with older mentors who serve as positive role models. Big Sisters also runs a “study buddy” program, where female volunteers are matched with young girls who need help with their school work. The organization has six “little” sisters, waiting for a match in Burnaby, and nine hoping to be paired with a study buddy. Volunteer big sisters spend a minimum of two hours per week with their little sisters. Study buddies spend an hour a week tutoring. To get involved, go to bigsisters.bc.ca. Applicants must undergo a criminal record check.
