Iraq to Canada:
The Hakem family finds a home
By Marjorie George
The Hakem family of four from Iraq arrived in Canada in September 2016. They had been asked whether they wanted to be sponsored by the government of Canada or by a group of Canadians purposely formed to help refugees; the father, Hareth, replied: “Whichever will get us there quicker!” The answer was a citizens’ group, so that is what they chose.
As Marwa, the mother, says now, it was such a piece of good luck for them. Ten people from the FACES group were smiling at them at the bottom of the escalator at the Ottawa airport, and she says it made all the difference.
Marwa wanted to be quoted on this subject. “The most important thing for newcomers is to feel welcome. You have come through war and threats of violence and have been waiting for such a long time to start your new life. Everything, absolutely everything, is so new, it is scary. So, to have a friendly group meeting you and helping you through your first year…well I wish all refugees could start their life in Canada this way.”
They left Iraq for Turkey precipitously in 2013 after Hareth refused to do something deeply corrupt at the customs office where he worked. He was given a warning and when he refused a second time, three armed men accosted him and pointed a gun at his sons. They told Hareth the kids would be shot if he did not cooperate. He rushed home, he and Marwa packed a few things and they disappeared for two weeks as they waited to get a passport for their youngest son. Then, with the help of family, they fled to Turkey, leaving behind everything they owned.
In Turkey, they were not allowed to get jobs, so they scraped by for three long years with donations from family. They frequently had to take seven-hour bus rides to go to the UNHCR office and the Canadian Embassy for applications, interviews and medical checks. Marwa sat at her computer hour after hour, refreshing the page, hoping for news. Finally it came.
Both Marwa and Hareth have university degrees. Hareth originally spoke little English. After arriving in Canada, he worked at Tim Hortons, Uber and Uber Eats, then he got his Canadian high school diploma and learned English at the adult high school. Marwa says she learned English by watching movies and ignoring the subtitles. She now works at the Ottawa Hospital, having paid for training to become a lab technician. For the time being, Hareth is doing hospital lab deliveries part-time and the two of them try their best to juggle the schedules of their two boys, Fahad and Zaid, who have just finished grade six and four. They are working hard on their skills and knowledge to try to get jobs in the government sector so they can secure their kids’ future.
They are a lovely couple, always laughing and smiling, and it was a pleasure helping them get established here. They have put in a lot of hard work and they appreciate that in Canada efforts yield results. They have rented a townhouse off Innes Road with playgrounds nearby and the boys have made friends. Recently, Marwa and Hareth were thrilled to pass the citizenship test and become full-fledged Canadians. Marwa was disappointed that it was not an in-person ceremony, so she created a celebratory Canadian party atmosphere around her desk for the moment she took her vows.
Now their fondest wish is to go camping in the woods and eventually enjoy a holiday at a cottage so that they feel truly Canadian!
Marjorie George is a FACES community member and volunteer.
(This is part of a series of articles looking back at the challenges and successes of refugees sponsored by FACES.)
FACES (First Avenue Churches and community Embracing Sponsorship) seeks justice by assisting refugees to come to Canada and by supporting the refugees’ transition to a new life here. FACES is committed to being inclusive and open in refugee sponsorship regardless of faith, ethnicity, health condition or sexual orientation. FACES also believes there are benefits in working together and in reaching out to the local community for commitment and support in the pursuit of its purpose.
