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Syrian refugee Crisis: BCMA Plays a leading role as an applicant of Sponsorship Agreement Holder
11-18-2015
On November 9th, 2015, The Honourable John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced the creation of a new Cabinet ad hoc committee to help bring Syrian refugees to Canada.
An Ad Hoc Committee on Refugees will be a driving force in delivering on the government’s commitment to bring 25,000 Syrian refugees to Canada by the end of 2015.
By any accounts this is an incredible undertaking by the government and requires assistance from all levels of governments as well as public organizations, and private citizens, and it is something all Canadians, especially Muslim Canadians need to consider supporting wholeheartedly.
The BC Muslim Association’s outgoing President Br. Musa Ismail in collaborations with other local Muslim organizations had taken a leading role in in becoming an official refugee sponsor with the government of Canada. The association has applied to become a Sponsorship Agreement Holder two months ago.
The person spearheading this task for BCMA is Vice President, Mr. Shawkat Hasan. His journey to Canada also began as a young boy in a refugee camp in the West Bank in the 1950s, when he found a little surprise in the pocket of a donated article of clothing.
He told CBC, “I got a piece of paper in one of the clothes they distribute, of someone saying, ‚If you receive this paper, write me back,’” said Hasan.
“So I did and that person came from Abbotsford, from the Mennonite church. I wrote back, and a few months later he came to visit me in the Middle East, in the refugee camp.”
Hasan says that person supported him personally and financially, throughout his first few years in North America.
Now, Hasan has taken the charge to repay the favour in a same manner which once was extended to him. He is inviting members of the B.C.’s Muslim community to come together to sponsor at least 15 refugee families from Syria.
Mr. Hasan is encouraging all BCMA Chapters, and Branches to sponsor one Syrian Family. The cost of sponsoring a family of four is approximately $30,000. The sponsorship also entails, providing logistical support when the family arrives in Canada, such as picking them up at the airport, furnishing a rented apartment, stocking fridges with food, and registering with government services. The support lasts for one year.
It’s estimated 2,700 Syrian refugees will arrive in the province by the end of the year, with some arriving in the next couple of weeks.
Hasan says the association has raised close to $1 million in the past for other global and local humanitarian efforts. They are now emabarking on this new chapter as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder that will enable BCMA to go towards the process of sponsoring families overseas, and eventually settling them in various places across B.C.
It’s estimated 2,700 Syrian refugees will arrive in the province by the end of the year, with some arriving in the next couple of weeks.
The Syrian refugee crisis is the worst since World War II, millions have fled their homes to escape the war in their country, says former President of the BCMA, Mr. Musa Ismail.
The BCMA is appealing to local Muslim community, humanitarian organization, businesses and individuals to team up and launch a massive campaign to sponsor Syrian Refugees in Canada.
BCMA is planning a mega fundraising dinner on Sunday, December 6 at India Banquet Hall in Surrey to sponsor as many Syrian Refugees as possible.
BCMA is requesting all community members to assist them in this noble effort by:
1) Promoting the event at your Masjid/Centre, business and/ or community;
2) Sell tickets to the event;
3) Become a sponsor. You can sponsor as many families as possible as an organization, business and or individual.
4) Get a VIP table on behalf of yourself, family, business, organization and group at $500 for table of 8 people;
5) Donate silent auction items;
6) All Donations are 100 % tax deductible
BCMA will recognize your organization, Business, family or self on behalf of the community.
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