Muslim Women’s Institute assists newcomers, refugees
Group of women works to ease cultural differences between refugees and Canadian
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This article was published 24/03/2017 (3120 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
With the recent influx of asylum-seekers crossing the border on foot, the Canadian Muslim Women’s Institute has been busier than ever — working to assist the newcomers, most of whom are also Muslim.
“They are the ones that are the most vulnerable in society,” said Yasmin Ali, president of the CMWI board.
“Those who have been here longer have jobs, they have made connections and friends, they have a social network to help them. The newcomers have none of that. They come here and they are afraid…They come here with nothing.
“They have no income, no language, sometimes no education, and even if they have education, forget it, it’s not accepted.”
The CMWI, located at 201-61 Juno St., began in 2006 as a group of Muslim women who saw many newcomers in need at the Winnipeg Central Mosque.
According to Ali, some of them seemed “somewhat confused and lost.”
Although the province had provided newcomers with information on culture, language, and where to find support, the women of CMIW realized “they needed some reinforcements,” such as nutritional information translation, English classes, knowledge on where to buy clothes and social activities to help them build networks of friends and acquaintances.
The CMWI started off by opening the first Halal food bank with Arabic- and Somali-speaking staff in Winnipeg, as well as offering information sessions for mothers about health and immigration, programs for kids and English classes at their headquarters.
“We started very small, trying to help out whatever way that we can,” Ali recalled.
Since 2008, CMWI has been helping women develop sewing skills to become financially independent and help with their families’ income while decreasing women isolation.
SewFair — which refers to sewing fair, beautiful things and also fair wages (no sweatshops) — is a social enterprise that has brought women together to learn, make friends and get paid for their work.
“A social enterprise is not about making money. It’s about the women themselves. It’s about decreasing their social isolation,” Ali explained.
“They were able to share stories with each other. Even though they came from different countries, they come here as refugees, and they are all going through the same trials and challenges and those who were here a lot longer were able to share their experiences and how they can come out of things.”
Knowledge sheds misconceptions
Ali said sometimes people may misunderstand the role of women in Muslim society.
“Women are caretakers, caregivers, look (out) for their family and their children and they are very caring people,” she explained.
Ali said a lack of education about Islam is to blame for the strife caused by the Trump administration’s attempt to ban travel to the country from a group of Muslim-majority countries.
“The ones who do the worst things are the loudest, and you hear about that small portion — but the ones that go about their business helping others, no one hears about them, and they are the majority,” she said.
“None of us like to hear what they (terrorists) are doing out there. It’s totally against Islam. You’re not to take anybody’s life.”
CMWI helps to spread the real meaning of Muslim culture and is a source for understanding why so many people are fleeing their home country and how to help them.
“It’s really important to try to show people that a Muslim person is like anybody else, looking for a home, a safe place to raise their family, just to be a good neighbour. This is who we are,” Ali explained.
“When you have children, you put yourself last and your children comes first, and these people are fleeing these countries for a better life for their children.”
Change in clientele
Since the arrival of Syrian refugees in Manitoba, the institute has seen a huge increase in clientele and over the past few weeks and months — from seeing 10 clients a day to an average of 50.
What was once a women’s centre has become a family resource centre, Ali said.
Farouk Khalifa came to Winnipeg as a sponsored Syrian refugee a year ago. He said CMWI helped him furnish his apartment when he arrived. They gave him a fridge, dishes, a microwave, clothing and a computer.
“They were very welcoming and helped me settle here in Canada,” Khalifa said.
Khalifa was a plumber in Syria and was recently accepted into the construction management program at Red River College. He volunteers at CMWI after school and takes English lessons in the evening.
“They helped me a lot in the past and I wanted to help too,” he continued. “I’m happy to be here. (The staff) was very welcoming and supported me a lot.”
As part of its progress, CMWI recently launched two pilot programs for men.
Executive director Laurel Martin explained that the first program will provide assistance for the basic day-to-day needs, such as cultural awareness, dealing with stress, physical health and other topics based on need. A sports program is in the works. Martin said a staff member and a volunteer are looking to get other organizations together for a soccer tournament.
“All of our newcomers want to integrate, they want new jobs, they want to be part of a larger community but they don’t always know exactly how to do it. Our role is to be the conduit, really.
“They’ve seen a need where the conduit could introduce them to what they want to do,” Martin said.
In addition to these programs, CMWI is providing newcomers with Canadian experience opportunities. Martin said newcomers can’t work until they are granted work visas, which legally allows them to have paid jobs.
To gain experience while they wait for their work permits, newcomers can volunteer at the institute or at other organizations.
Doing great things with limited funding
Although CMWI has been providing support to a broader group of newcomers, Ali said it has been difficult to keep the building open due to limited staff and funding, as the organization is funded only by the United Way and through donations.
The institute has received hundreds of bags of clothing donations but its challenge now is to find volunteers to sort through the countless piles and help their clients find what they need.
“We got enough clothing now. We need more volunteers and funding,” Ali explained.
Gary Malcovich has just started volunteering with CMWI and said he feels people should try to help in any way they can.
“We all come from somewhere. My grandparents were immigrants, of course not in the same situation,” he said.
“You can’t deny what’s happening in the news. I sit at home sometimes and I watch the news and see them uncovering kids out of debris and I think ‘How can you not help?’”
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All those who would like to volunteer at CMWI can do so by contacting the institute at contact@cmwi.ca. Monetary donations can be made through Canada Helps at www.canadahelps.org/dn/4878
Province suggests co-ordinated actions with the feds
At a meeting at Welcome Place on Feb. 23 where Premier Brian Pallister announced emergency funds to help refugees, he also said there needs to be an improved relationship with the federal government to come up with a co-ordinated plan in regards to the high number of newcomers crossing the border and entering Manitoba.
“We have to recognize this is a national challenge that the refugees are coming to our province…but they are coming to Canada first and foremost. We have an obligation to work together efficiently to make sure that the information flows, or are accurate and prompt and that services are effectively managed,” Pallister said.
As newcomers choose Canada in search of a welcoming and safe place, Pallister said Manitoba is ready to assist the refugees as long as the community supports and acknowledges the work frontline service providers have done as refugees cross the border. According to an RCMP update on March 4, 183 refugees have illegally crossed the border since Jan. 1.
“Over the several years we have taken on the largest population of refugees per capita in the entire country of Canada,” the premier explained. “This is a national issue. Not solely one that we are facing here in Manitoba, though certainly, as we have always been, we are ready…to do our part and more here in Manitoba.”
Pallister announced funding for 14 units of emergency housing in response to the growing need for temporary shelter for refugee claimants. The province will also grant $70,000 for the Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations to pay for a refugee response co-ordinator for 2017-2018 that will support efforts related to refugee resettlement and claimant supports, and $110,000 in funding for Welcome Place for 2017-2018 to go toward services for refugee claimants including paralegal services and safe transportation from Emerson to Winnipeg.
-Braidotti