Helping people has long been Fatima’s focus. It was why she chose her program in Geography and Environmental Management, and it was why she has an extensive volunteer history as a Peer Leader.
When she thought about the new refugees, she believed Canada would make sure these people were alive, but she wanted to make sure they had a life – fully integrated as participating members in our communities. As a relatively new immigrant from Lebanon herself, Fatima is aware that there can be barriers to newcomers to society, including barriers within themselves, although this was not her personal experience.
She joined St. Paul’s GreenHouse this term in order to begin mapping out the current system of supports provided for both government-sponsored and privately sponsored refugees, in order to identify possible gaps between existence and full participation.
"GreenHouse has been very helpful to me, especially in terms of helping me make connections and to meet with new people. It has also been helpful to have people mentor me in the best ways of reaching my goal without too many detours.”
By the end of this term, Fatima hopes to have completed the research stage of her project and to have developed a plan for moving forward.
“For refugees, the right of choosing where to live has been taken away from them, so I think that the right of living as full members of society is important. I feel responsible to make this happen because I can. It won’t be simple but it’s possible.”
- by Susan Fish