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Heroes

Newfoundland's warm welcome for a Syrian refugee family sets an example for all of us

Newfoundland's warm welcome for a Syrian refugee family sets an example for all of us

Forced to leave their homelands due to war, persecution, or other danger outside of their control, refugees face a double challenge. Not only do they have to deal with the trauma of whatever they've seen or experienced that forces them to flee, but they also have to figure out how to make a new home in an unfamiliar land.

So when a country opens its arms and welcomes refugees with kindness and enthusiasm, it can mean the world. And for at least one refugee family, the Canadian province of Newfoundland has exemplified what that looks like.

Canadian journalist Muhammad Lila shared a story on Twitter that has thousands of people cheering for our neighbors to the north.


"Something amazing just happened, and it didn't make a single headline," Lila wrote. "It happened in a place you've probably never been, to a family you've never met. And it's the best story you'll read."

Lila then introduced Yaman, a third grader whose family are Syrian refugees. "No biggie, after all Canada admits a lot of refugees, right?" Lila added.

(As a matter of fact, Canada admitted more refugees than any other country in 2018, the last year for which official figures are available. The U.S. had held that title for nearly 40 years, but the Trump administration has drastically slashed the refugee resettlement ceiling each of the past three years to now historic lows.)

"When a refugee comes to Canada," Lila pointed out, "it's usually a happy time. Your plane touches down to a new life and new beginnings. When Yaman's family arrived, it was bittersweet. Why? Because their father never made it out of Syria. Think about what that does to a family."

"Imagine Yaman's mother, Fatima," Lila continued. "You survive a war, then move halfway around the world to raise your four kids in a foreign land—all on your own—without even knowing the language or if your husband is even still alive. Talk about strength."

Lila explained how the family of five settled in Newfoundland, which is "filled with cold winters but warm hearts."

"Neighbors welcomed the family with open arms, helping them with furniture, school, and a place to live."

RELATED: The refugee crisis is daunting, but Canada offers an inspiring example of how to help.

Now, that kind of hospitality toward refugees is not unusual, especially for refugees who come through Canada's refugee sponsorship program. But Lila explained how Newfoundlanders took their welcome to a whole other level.

Being Canada and all, many of the kids in Yaman's class play hockey. He wanted to play, but he didn't know how. He'd only been skating once, back home in Syria.

"Remember how it felt to be left out when you were a kid?" asked Lila. "That was Yaman."

BUT.

"One of the kids went home and told his dad," wrote Lila, "and before long, word started to spread in the community about the Syrian boy who'd never played hockey.

And this, right here, is where things get Canadian.

Really Canadian."

Lila then describes how a hockey dad found some kids' skates and took Yaman to the local rink. Then the dad asked Twitter if anyone had any equipment, and that same day, gear started showing up on his doorstep.

The next day, more equipment arrived, and then more.

A local hockey store then got in on the giving and offered him all brand new equipment at cost. "Within hours," wrote Lila, "people were asking if they could pay."

The next day, hockey dad takes Yaman to the hockey store for a surprise shopping spree.

"By the time Yaman walks in, he's smiling ear to ear," Lila wrote. "They tell him he's getting brand new hockey gear. He's so happy that he literally goes around shaking every single person's hand, one by one." Awww.

But it gets even better.

"In hockey, you put tape on your stick for better grip," explained Lila. "When they tell Yaman to choose his tape, he goes straight for the one with a Maple Leaf on it. He wanted to keep the flag with him, so that whenever he plays, he's carrying it."

Let's pause for just a moment to acknowledge how this works. When you offer a person fleeing danger a safe place to live and welcome them with open arms, there's a very good chance they are going to be grateful. In refugee resettlement terms, that translates to love for a persona's adopted nation and a true sense of patriotism. Welcoming refugees is a smart social and economic investment, in addition to simply being the right thing to do.

RELATED: Trump's unprecedented refugee policy is a huge economic mistake. Here's why.

Yaman got to pay for the hockey gear himself, and as Lila says, he felt "like the luckiest kid in the world."

"And here's why it matters more than you think," added Lila.

"In Canada, hockey can be more than a sport. At its best, it can unite us. You'll see Canadians, from all backgrounds, playing it everywhere: Streets, hallways, frozen ponds, you name it. Hell, as kids, we played until it got so dark ouside we couldn't see the puck anymore," Lila explained.

"When you're an immigrant, the easiest thing in the world is to feel left out," Lila wrote. "Your food is different. Your accent is different. Maybe your clothes too. And when your parents are struggling to pay the rent, hockey is laughably impossible luxury. But here's the thing..."

"When you're a kid, you don't care about any of that. All you want is to want to fit in. And it hurts like hell when you don't. It can be the worst feeling in the world. And that's exactly why this was so awesome."

"Canada isn't perfect," Lila admitted, "but it can still be a place where ordinary people come together to tell a refugee family that we care. That his mom doesn't have to go it alone. That they belong. It was a gigantic, Canadian 'we got you' - all done without having to say a single word."

Beautiful. Well done, Newfoundlanders. Thanks for setting an example to the rest of the world—not only for how to welcome a stranger into your home, but how to make them feel like they belong there.

Identity

Celebrate International Women's Day with these stunning photos of female leaders changing the world

The portraits, taken by acclaimed photographer Nigel Barker, are part of CARE's "She Leads the World" campaign.

Images provided by CARE

Kadiatu (left), Zainab (right)

True

Women are breaking down barriers every day. They are transforming the world into a more equitable place with every scientific discovery, athletic feat, social justice reform, artistic endeavor, leadership role, and community outreach project.

And while these breakthroughs are happening all the time, International Women’s Day (Mar 8) is when we can all take time to acknowledge the collective progress, and celebrate how “She Leads the World.

This year, CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization dedicated to empowering women and girls, is celebrating International Women’s Day through the power of portraiture. CARE partnered with high-profile photographer Nigel Barker, best known for his work on “America’s Next Top Model,” to capture breathtaking images of seven remarkable women who have prevailed over countless obstacles to become leaders within their communities.

“Mabinty, Isatu, Adama, and Kadiatu represent so many women around the world overcoming incredible obstacles to lead their communities,” said Michelle Nunn, President and CEO of CARE USA.

Barker’s bold portraits, as part of CARE’s “She Leads The World” campaign, not only elevate each woman’s story, but also shine a spotlight on how CARE programs helped them get to where they are today.

About the women:

Mabinty

international womens day, care.org

Mabinty is a businesswoman and a member of a CARE savings circle along with a group of other women. She buys and sells groundnuts, rice, and fuel. She and her husband have created such a successful enterprise that Mabinty volunteers her time as a teacher in the local school. She was the first woman to teach there, prompting a second woman to do so. Her fellow teachers and students look up to Mabinty as the leader and educator she is.

Kadiatu

international womens day, care.org

Kadiatu supports herself through a small business selling food. She also volunteers at a health clinic in the neighboring village where she is a nursing student. She tests for malaria, works with infants, and joins her fellow staff in dancing and singing with the women who visit the clinic. She aspires to become a full-time nurse so she can treat and cure people. Today, she leads by example and with ambition.

Isatu

international womens day, care.org

When Isatu was three months pregnant, her husband left her, seeking his fortune in the gold mines. Now Isatu makes her own way, buying and selling food to support her four children. It is a struggle, but Isatu is determined to be a part of her community and a provider for her kids. A single mother of four is nothing if not a leader.

Zainab

international womens day, care.org

Zainab is the Nurse in Charge at the Maternal Child Health Outpost in her community. She is the only nurse in the surrounding area, and so she is responsible for the pre-natal health of the community’s mothers-to-be and for the safe delivery of their babies. In a country with one of the world’s worst maternal death rates, Zainab has not lost a single mother. The community rallies around Zainab and the work she does. She describes the women who visit the clinic as sisters. That feeling is clearly mutual.

Adama

international womens day, care.org

Adama is something few women are - a kehkeh driver. A kehkeh is a three-wheeled motorcycle taxi, known elsewhere as a tuktuk. Working in the Kissy neighborhood of Freetown, Adama is the primary breadwinner for her family, including her son. She keeps her riders safe in other ways, too, by selling condoms. With HIV threatening to increase its spread, this is a vital service to the community.

Ya Yaebo

international womens day, care.org

“Ya” is a term of respect for older, accomplished women. Ya Yaebo has earned that title as head of her local farmers group. But there is much more than that. She started as a Village Savings and Loan Association member and began putting money into her business. There is the groundnut farm, her team buys and sells rice, and own their own oil processing machine. They even supply seeds to the Ministry of Agriculture. She has used her success to the benefit of people in need in her community and is a vocal advocate for educating girls, not having gone beyond grade seven herself.

On Monday, March 4, CARE will host an exhibition of photography in New York City featuring these portraits, kicking off the multi-day “She Leads the World Campaign.

Learn more, view the portraits, and join CARE’s International Women's Day "She Leads the World" celebration at CARE.org/sheleads.


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Over or under? Surprisingly, there actually is a 'correct' way to hang a toilet paper roll.

Let's settle this silly-but-surprisingly-heated debate once and for all.

Elya/Wikimedia Commons

Should you hang the toilet paper roll over or under?


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