Syrian refugees finding support in Kelowna

Community members and organizations in the Okanagan region of B.C. are working together to bring dozens of Syrian refugee families to Kelowna.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson has already sponsored three families and the paperwork for 14 others has also been submitted to the government.

"They have a tremendous amount to offer us," said church spokesperson Keith Germaine.

"They will bring so much to this community, it will really spur growth." 

Twenty other applications are also currently being processed by the Nelson Diocese.

One of the three recent families that arrived through the support of the church, is the Alaji family.

Middle-class life destroyed

Up until two years ago, Ilia Alaji, his wife Karla Koussa, and their two children Lion and Reine, were a middle-class family in Syria.

"We were happy, I have a good job," said Alaji.

Just like many Canadians, they lived in a safe neighbourhood and their children went to a good school.

After their children's school was bombed three times, the family made the difficult decision to leave their life behind and flee to Lebanon.

​"[It was] very dangerous and very difficult," said Alaji.

The family spent two years in Beirut before being brought to Canada through a private sponsorship with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Nelson.

A Christmas without bombs

It's not just the church helping the Alaji's — an entire community is coming together to support them.

School groups have donated food and gift cards and the apartment the family is calling home for the next year, is also donated by Habitat for Humanity.

"We just felt there was such a need and so many families coming into our community quickly, we just felt we could help," said Deborah Guthrie of Habitat for Humanity Okanagan.

Now, as they prepare for their first Christmas in Canada, the Alaji family is grateful for the outpouring of support in Canada.

Through a translator, Karla Koussa said she was surprised there were so many people willing to help.

Her dream this holiday season is "to have a safe Christmas without bombs, without violence, and to be one family."

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