Every year on June 20th, World Refugee Day commemorates the perseverance of refugees and calls on the world to stand with those forced to leave their homes. At the Canadian Red Cross, programs like First Contact, in Vancouver and Toronto, and Restoring Family Links make a difference in the lives of refugees who face multiple challenges settling in to their new lives.
Over the years, the Canadian Red Cross has aided refugees around the world. This year, for World Refugee Day, we are highlighting some of the great stories of hope and survival from our blog in the past year.
Photo of the day: Box of wishes shares hope from Syria’s children
Canadian Red Cross President and CEO Conrad Sauvé recently returned from a trip to Syria and the surrounding region. Conrad noted that amongst the suffering, there is still a glimmer of hope, especially from children. While on his trip, Conrad was presented with a “box of wishes” from Syrian children who were living in a refugee camp. Inside the box were pictures the children had drawn of what they want to be when they grow up.
Tech Talk: New app aims to help refugees arriving in Canada
An app developed by the Netherlands Red Cross is helping refugees who are coming to Canada. The Refugee Buddy App helps supply refugees with practical information and is available in English, French and Arabic. The Refugee Buddy App is a complement to the support being offered by the Canadian Red Cross, by providing information like traffic and transport, first aid courses and other information about their new home.
Refugee Arrival: A letter that warmed the hearts of Red Cross volunteers
Louise-Julie, a volunteer for nearly 25 years, once again stepped in to support the Red Cross during the Syrian Refugee Arrival response. She is there at the Welcome Centre nearly every day, where thousands of refugees have been arriving since mid-December. Early one morning, when she was checking whether anything had been put in the comment box, she found a letter written in Arabic for the first time. It was a letter praising the Canadian government and Red Cross volunteers for their work.
From refugee to Red Cross employee, in less than ten days
A few years ago, Mohamad left his home in Syria and settled in Egypt, as a refugee. On December 9, he landed in Montreal and became a permanent resident of Canada. His first reflex when he settled in his new home? He wanted to get involved in welcoming other Syrian refugees.
The power of a smile: Canadian aid worker shares experience of refugee camps in Germany
Adeola Adebayo, a nurse in Halifax, recently returned from Germany where he assisted in the refugee response efforts. For a month, he worked in Feldkirchen and Erding refugee camps run by the German Red Cross. During his month in Germany, one of his most memorable experiences was with a four-year-old patient who hadn’t eaten in four days prior to arriving at the refugee camp with her family.
Photo of the day: opening a field hospital in Greece to support refugee crisis
The Red Cross opened a field hospital on Saturday in the small village of Idomeni, Greece, close to the border of Macedonia, in order to provide support to refugees arriving in, and transiting through the country. Already 500 patients have been seen to date. The hospital, which has a child-friendly space, will provide basic health care, as well as psycho-social services.
World Refugee Day: Red Cross reunites family scattered by bombing attack
The Canadian Red Cross Restoring Family Links (RFL) program works to locate people and put them back in contact with their loved ones. This is one family's story. Losing contact with family members can cause enormous anxiety, especially in the midst of disaster or conflict. Sometimes separation will last for days or months and sometimes it will last for years, as it did for Sadia and her siblings.
View photos from our post World Refugee Day: photos of hope and survival.
