Refugee Resilience: Norma Lize, Middle East
Journey of LGBTQ+ Refugees: From Persecution to Empowerment Born and raised in the Middle East, Norma Lize (she/her) started her advocacy with the LGBTQ+ community in Southwest Asia and North Africa region (SWANA) before fleeing to Vancouver in December 2018 to escape persecution because of her gender identity. This is her story: Norma Lize “All […]
Refugee Resilience: Zartasha from Afghanistan
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Zartasha*, a recent arrival from Afghanistan, shares her experience settling in Canada as a highly ambitious refugee navigating significant life changes. This is her story: “I’m Zartasha. I’m originally from Afghanistan and I moved to Canada in April 2022. In Afghanistan, I was a director in the finance department […]
Refugee Resilience: Hakeem from Ethiopia
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees At a very young age and alone, Hakeem* had to flee home in pursuit of safety. This is his story: “My name is Hakeem, I am from Ethiopia. I came to Canada in the summer of 2018. I grew up in Addis Ababa where I had an average life; […]
Refugee Resilience: Walaa from Syria
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Walaa, a recent arrival from Syria, shares how she transformed her resettlement experience from an ordeal to an opportunity in Canada. This is her story: “I moved from Syria to Lebanon when I was 16. Four years later I was a supervising assistant at the United Nations. Once my […]
Refugee Resilience: Lamis from Syria
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Lamis is a new arrival from Syria who came to Canada through The Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP). Jumpstart Refugee Talent has partnered with Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) to support the EMPP program, and as such, Lamis was referred to our organization. Lamis shares her account of journeying to Canada […]
Refugee Resilience: Ardit from Albania
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Arriving in Canada, Ardit hoped to get a job in finance but quickly found himself shifting to a new career and starting his own business. This is his story: “My grandfather used to say: ‘It is always better to move around in circles doing nothing than staying in the […]
Refugee Resilience: Ron from Indonesia
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Ron, a recent arrival from Indonesia, shares his journey of seeking asylum in Canada and finding meaningful employment. This is his story: “Coming to Canada as a refugee has led to the greatest leap in my life. I thought my partner and I had prepared ourselves well when we […]
Refugee Resilience: Fairuz from Afghanistan
Celebrating the Resilience of Canada’s Refugees Fairuz*, a newly arrived refugee from Afghanistan, lost hope and the life she had built for herself and her family when she was forced to leave her home country. Yet, she quickly found strength not only to rebuild her life but to also support fellow Afghan activists through her […]