Campaign Story

Canada

There are over 50 000 Afghan refugees who have been welcomed to Canada since the Taliban took over and returned to power. These Afghans have fled violence, instability, poverty, persecution of religious minorities, and oppression of women and girls – including the banning of women in schools, the workplace and in public. They are looking to find a new home with safety, freedom and opportunity. Some of these courageous Afghans are 4 adult siblings Sharifa, Zainab, Fazal, and Khadija, along with Zainab’s husband and their 4 young children. Our goal is to raise $10 000 to help Sharifa, Zainab, Fazal, and Khadija as they start their new life in Canada.

We would like to share their stories. Sharifa, Zainab, Fazal, and Khadija are young, educated, and resilient.

Sharifa worked for an international non-governmental organization (NGO) supporting women’s rights, women’s health and survivors of gender-based violence. She is strong, brave, and resourceful, speaks English and has helped her family through uncertain times. Zainab is a nurse, and also worked for an international non-governmental organization in the neonatal intensive care unit and pediatric intensive care unit providing life saving health care to newborns and children. Fazal and Khadija were both university students until their studies were cut short in August 2021 during the Taliban takeover. They hope to complete their education in Canada. They have been working hard at starting a new life in Canada – adapting to a completely new home, learning English and taking classes, getting jobs, getting a driver’s license, and finding a home. But the cost of living and housing is a big challenge in Toronto, so we are hoping to help them to move to Barrie and settle here as their new home. Our goal is to help them specifically in the purchase a van to help them in their new life in Barrie. We are not a registered charity and we can’t provide charitable receipts for your donation. This is an act of solidarity for four people that we have grown to care for deeply.

Thank you for your support!

*For the safety and privacy of their remaining family in Afghanistan, we aren’t using their real names.

Sharifa (not her real name), her brother and sister have settled into their rented home in Barrie. They commute to Toronto every day for factory jobs as sewing machine operators, and Sharifa also works evenings and weekends at a retail store. They are looking for jobs in Barrie so that they don’t have to commute.

Sharifa’s sister, her husband and their 4 children arrived in Canada. The children are thriving in school, learning English very quickly and have experienced snow for the very first time – very exciting. Their parents are enrolled in full-time English classes in preparation for getting a job.

However, the journey is not over. Sharifa’s parents and three siblings are also on their way to Canada. We are fundraising for more support for their journey to Canada, and as they settle once they arrive.

If you are able, we would be immensely grateful for another donation—or if you could share this donation link with friends and family who may be willing to help.

Dear donors,

Thank you so much for your generous donations to support this family of Afghan newcomers to Barrie.

We have raised $3,730 so far, and are incredibly grateful for your support. The family is doing well, has moved into their new home in Barrie, are thrilled to be reunited, and are thankful for the support they have received. We will provide a longer update on how they are doing soon.

However for now we just wanted to let you know that we acknowledge you may be receiving emails for other fundraisers from Chuffed. As far as I am aware, there is not a way for me to disable that setting. However if you would like, you can unsubscribe to emails from Chuffed by scrolling down to the bottom of the email and hit unsubscribe.

Thank you again for your support,

Colleen

Anonymous