Grade 7 class gets wheels rolling for refugee family

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This article was published 27/06/2016 (3396 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

They’ve only been here for five months, but the Ei Sabsabi family already feels as though Canada is their home.

Part of that is thanks to a Nathanja Gingerich’s Grade 7 class’s generosity and passion for social justice. The Winnipeg Mennonite Elementary and Middle Schools teacher learned that the Ei Sabsabi’s had immigrated to Winnipeg from a refugee camp in Jordan with their five children, all five years old and under. Once she shared the news with her class, they immediately felt they had to do something to help the family.

“We found out that this family was given the basics to live in a safe house but they don’t have a lot of clothing or shoes or necessary items,” student Angeline Chahine said. “We came across Little Buggy Co. It’s Manitoba-based, durable, lightweight and colourful and (the buggy) could carry four children. It was as though this wagon was made just for their family.”

The Grade 7 class wrote letters to Little Buggy Co. to see if they would be willing to help them in supplying the Ei Sabsabis with a buggy. To their delight, Little Buggy Co. got behind the idea right away.

“What an honour it is to be here today, and a privilege to be able to help this very deserving family,” Little Buggy Co. co-founder Michelle Armstrong said. “We would like to thank Ms. Gingerich and her class for writing such empowering letters. It’s fantastic to see young people reach out and help and it’s something you guys should be extremely proud of.

“On behalf of Little Buggy Co., we hope to welcome the family to Canada. We hope our buggy will help your family to explore our beautiful province.”

With the help of translator Antoine Chahine, father Yahya was able to express his thanks to the school during a chapel assembly.

“With four small kids, I couldn’t take them anywhere and didn’t have the means to buy a wagon like this,” he said. “I’m really happy and I want to thank Little Buggy Co. and the Grade 7’s and Ms. Gingerich and the school for this gift. Now I can take the kids anywhere for walks, which was impossible before.”

Ei Sabsabi says he didn’t expect to be treated with such generosity and kindness upon arriving here with his wife and children.

“I’m surprised by the kindness and love the people have shown, I wasn’t expecting that, I didn’t know what to expect from Canada,” Ei Sabsabi said. “I’ve been here since February and I feel that Canada is already my country.

“I hope to find work, raise my family and educate my kids and integrate my kids and live in Canada with the good people of Canada and be a Canadian.”