Newcomers to Canada Success Stories

One Refugee Without Hope: Canada offers new life to desperate refugee
July 2011 – After a lifetime of persecution and seven desperate years in exile, a refugee in China found his life changed by one phone call.

Chai: Seeing the world through a different lens
June 2011 – Due to the Communist military victory in the Vietnam War, and repercussions in their country, Chai’s parents made the difficult decision to leave.

Jemimah: Finding safety in Canada
June 2011 – At CIC, Jemimah enjoys working with the public, including other refugees, where she can develop new skills and continue to perfect her English.

Ghezae: Giving back to the community
June 2011 – As a journalist and teaching assistant with a law degree from Asmara University, Ghezae both lived and covered stories of war.

Wahlay and Daisy: Finding refuge in Thunder Bay
June 2011 – Wahlay Ray and his wife, Daisy Aung, feared they would never escape the sweltering heat of the Mae La refugee camp.

Alexis: Leading the way for others
June 2011 – Alexis knows firsthand just how fragile life can be and how important it is to be true to one's self.

Remzi: From a refugee to a Rhodes Scholar
June 2011 – After leaving Kosovo, Remzi has become a graduate Rhodes Scholar and is working as a policy advisor for the government of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Fawad: Journey to Canada – A Refugee’s Story
March 2011 – In 1992, Fawad Popalyar’s father was faced with a life-changing choice and had only seconds to decide.

Madut: Journey to Canada – A Refugee’s Story
November 2010 – Twenty-three years ago, Madut Majok arrived in a refugee camp in Ethiopia, where his life consisted of guarded compounds and food rations. Today, he is a Canadian citizen, university graduate and civil servant.

K’naan: From Somalia to Canada to the World
June 2010 – Watching the slim figure on the stage, swaying to the rhythm of his now-trademark anthem “Wavin’ Flag,” it is hard to see the inner strength that has carried him to this place.

Fatima: Journey to Canada – A Refugee’s Story
June 2010 – Fifteen years ago, Fatima Bahir was a young girl going to a school for refugees in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Resettling and rebuilding
April 2010 – A refugee’s story: from Bhutan to Quebec.

Once a refugee, now Canada’s youngest bishop
January 2010 – Vincent Nguyen fled Vietnam as a teen dreaming of freedom and a chance to be a priest.

A real Canadian Christmas,
January 2010 – Langley school district helps refugee kids adjust to life in British Columbia.

Hassan survived hell. He thanks Canada for his fresh start
January 2010 – Hassan’s appreciation — for the United Nations, the Refugee Law Project, the government of Canada and anyone who has helped him get to this peaceful place — is effusive.

Closing the Circle
September 2008 – Florence was only a small child when her family fled Vietnam in 1979, but the memories of that sometimes harrowing journey are vivid. Crowded into a small boat, the family spent four days on the South China Sea.

How Canada helps alleviate a global problem
August 2008 – Yo Doh Htoo is a rather reserved person. But when he talks about coming to Canada, an uncharacteristic smile crosses his face.

A former lost boy helps others to find their way
January 2008 – Although he was a “Lost Boy” when growing up in the Sudan, William has both found his way to a new home in Canada and is helping others to do the same.

Brick by brick
July 2007 – After the turmoil Jacob has endured, one would think he’d finally be happy to settle down and live a quiet life in Canada. But the selfless 25-year-old from Sudan has dedicated himself to helping others.