Local refugee group brings family of six from Syria

KELOWNA – A Syrian family of six is settling into their new home in West Kelowna.

The mother, father and four young children were sponsored by the West Kelowna Initiative for Refugee Settlement just over a month ago.

“A group of friends met to discuss what could be done to help with the humanitarian crisis in Syria,” spokesperson Gioia Morris says in a media release. “After a bit of discussion and a lot of paperwork, an application for sponsorship was submitted and approved by the Government of Canada.”

Morris says the group has secured temporary housing and are prepared to get the oldest children enrolled in school.

“The private sponsorship group is responsible for providing financial assistance to the family for a minimum of one year with some government support,” Morris says. “The goal is to help the family become self-sufficient as soon as possible.”

For more information on fundraisers planned, visit the West Kelowna Initiative for Refugee Settlement Facebook page.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.