Moving to Canada Alone

When Mahmood arrived with his family of five in Canada in 2017, he hoped they could finally feel safe. Four years earlier, he had no choice but to leave Iraq, relatives, his job, and culture.

“In Iraq we faced danger; there was war; our lives were threatened”

“In Iraq we faced danger; there was war; our lives were threatened; no one was safe. It was a very hard life,” says Mahmood.

While the family lived in Turkey as refugees, the children weren’t allowed to go to school. Mahmood worked as a carpenter, earning barely enough for rent and basic food. Then a friend in Canada found them a sponsor.

“We arrived in Vancouver with a bag of clothes,” says Mahmood. “After we located a basement apartment to rent in Surrey, we lost our support network. Now we were alone, isolated, and spoke no English.”

Mahmood went to school to learn English and searched the internet for organizations who help newcomers. He found someone who spoke Arabic. She made an appointment for him with The Salvation Army.

“I couldn’t afford to provide complete meals for my family”

“I showed The Salvation Army worker a picture of our apartment—no windows, no couches or tables,  no beds. I couldn’t afford to provide complete meals for my family, let alone household items,” says Mahmood.

The Salvation Army gave Mahmood food items, chocolate, a thrift store voucher to purchase furniture, school supplies for his three children and $150 to buy them toys.

“My son was so happy he put all the toys beside his bed and didn’t sleep for two days,” says Mahmood.

In 2019, Mahmood and his family volunteered with The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle Campaign. Then Mahmood helped the Army’s community and family services by translating Arabic to English. In Surrey, 90% of the people speak Arabic. His wife, Noor, volunteers as the Army’s Arabic Volunteer Coordinator.

“When I had nothing, The Salvation Army gave me hope”

“We wanted to help others, like The Salvation Army helped us,” says Mahmood.

Mahmood sorts food as Salvation Army family services worker

Before long, Mahmood used his computer skills to build an excel program that assisted with client records. He was eventually hired and is now working full time as a family services worker.

“When I had nothing, The Salvation Army gave me hope,” says Mahmood. “They changed my whole life, and my family’s life. We now live in a home. I have an income and a pay stub. Thanks to The Salvation Army we are thriving as new members to our community.”

By Linda Leigh