Estevan could be welcoming between 14 and 20 Syrian refugees later this year if the committee charged with the task of completing the applications is given the green light of support.
Emily Gillies and Barry Harris did their own bit of welcoming to about 20 local citizens who attended the first public meeting of Neighbours Helping Neighbours with a focus on the Syrian refugee crisis.
The positive response at the March 22 meeting held at the Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, is leading to another meeting slated for March 29, at the same location, which will set the wheels in motion, they said.
The Tuesday evening informational event featured a video presentation of Syria’s major cities and landmarks, then, and now, with the current death toll and destroyed neighbourhoods, illustrating the dire conditions that have led to more than 1.3 million Syrians fleeing the country in search of safe havens.
The local committee has approximately $15,000 in seed money to kick-start a local campaign that might require as much as $100,000 to resettle the newcomers and assist them while they learn a new language and have their skills reassessed for certification in various trades or professional careers, depending on the make up of the family or families that will make Estevan their home.
“We might have a widow with two or three children, with little opportunity for work, or we might get an extended family with older siblings who have been well-educated and have certain skills,” said Gillies.
The application will be made under the private plan, not the federal government plan since that program is now closed having met their self-declared obligation of bringing in 25,000 refugees.
Some logistical support systems are already in place, the Gillies and Harris pointed out. The Suburban Hotel manager Ruth Wall said they would provide the first housing for newly arrived refugees, and local volunteers like Waed Dakkak have stepped up to assist with translation services. Liz Rowley, representing the South East Cornerstone Public School Division noted their system is already accommodating over 500 English as Another Language (EAL) students, so a few more school-aged children could be easily assimilated while the adult English language learners would access the EAL programs offered by the Southeast College.
Harris and Gillies said they looked forward to the March 29 session where plans and committees could be confirmed to accommodate an application from Estevan. They noted that Weyburn is already welcoming four families through their local committee efforts that have included some successful fundraising events.
