Social workers Luz Elena and Abir apply cream to ease the dryness of the elderly hands of M. Harouk. (Montreal, QC)

Lama, mother of two, one of whom had a very serious accident in Lebanon after fleeing Syria, cited an Arab proverb, loosely translated as: "All I want is a sincere welcome..." (Montreal, QC)

Lama and Mohamed's daughter Heba suffered fractures to her skull in an horrendous accident in Lebanon when she was 8 months old. Now, with medical care at Hôpital Ste-Justine, her motor functions are improving. (Montreal, QC)

Just a couple of weeks after her arrival in Canada, Iman was rushed to the hospital where she give birth to a premature baby. Baby Roze, now 3 weeks old, weights almost 2 kg. She will soon be authorized to go home. (Joliette, QC)

Baby Roze spent the first few weeks of her life with her mother, Iman, at the hospital. The hospital staff became attached to the family. (Joliette, QC)

Mina and her two sons. When they had to leave Aleppo, Amir was 3 months away from graduating with a BA in Law. Alexander hopes to study optometry to follow in his father's steps. (Montreal, QC)

Selima, a volunteer for the Collectif pour l’Unité, accompanies Nawal to her prenatal doctor’s visits. The Collectif pour l’Unité is an initiative of a group of representatives of the local Catholic Church, synagogue and mosque. They have undertaken a number of actions to help newly arrived Syrian refugees. (Nun’s Island, Montreal, QC)

Nawal's eldest sons, Mohamed and Omran, performing a Rap at the Blue Metropolis Literary Festival, expressing their appreciation for the way they are welcomed in their new country. (Montreal, QC)

The day after Darin gave birth to her 3rd son, Roy, she posted on Facebook "Roy, Welcome to Canada". (Laval, QC)

Gérard, a retired teacher, helps these teens with their math and French language courses, in his home every Saturday morning. (Montreal, QC)

Fadi was a farmer in Syria. When the situation became too dangerous, he sent his wife and children to Lebanon. He stayed back to finish the harvest. He thought the war would soon end and he would be able to return to his land. He now shares his knowledge with neighbours in a community garden. (Montreal, QC)

Fadi's daughter Rahaf ready to entertain dinner guests in her new home. (Montreal, QC)

Newly arrived Syrian refugee children discover the Canadian Sugaring Off tradition. They are invited to the Sugar Shack by the Centre Social d'Aide aux Immigrants (CSAI). (Laurentian region, QC)

The Al Nassan family, sponsored by a collection of local people, businesses, organizations and Churches, is now well established in Cheticamp. For a second season, Rahmeh worked at the fish processing plant. The fishing season, now over, she is at home and happy to be able to spend more time with her children before they go back to school in September. She is very appreciative of her neighbours who have made her feel at home. (Cheticamp, NS)

Rahmeh's husband Mahmoud gained the reputation of being a good worker when he worked at the fish processing plant during the 2016 fishing season. He was then offered a full-time job at the Cheticamp Boatbuilders, a local boatbuilding and repair shop. (Cheticamp, NS)

Carolyn gave Rahmeh a sewing machine. Carolyn has also involved Rahmeh in a women's group who do quilting and hooked rugs. Rahmeh is both enjoying doing this handiwork, is good at it, and it gives her an opportunity to get to know people and practice her language skills. (Cheticamp, NS)

Rami Al Asfar, his wife Afaf Alakrad, their 3 children and Rame's brother Kassim, were sponsored by a private sponsorship group and are settled in Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia. (Sydney Mines, NS)

After a few short seasonal jobs, Rami landed a job at a quarry of Northern Excavation Co. Rami is happy when he is working. (Sydney Mines, NS)

Kassim’s health has improved greatly since arriving in Canada. So has his optimism. He now participates in a social integration program at Haley Street Adult Services Centre. In the woodworking shop, he is part of a team of two working on the wood splitting machine, transforming wooden pallets to kindling. The kindling is sold in local stores, bringing in an income for the Centre and for himself. (Sydney Mines, NS)

When Clare heard that a Syrian refugee family was arriving, she said to her husband and a small group of friends: "We are going to love them." And she does. (Sydney Mines, NS)

Because of the war in Syria, the Al Zhouri children missed 5 years of schooling. Rabiaa never thought she would see any of her three children graduate from high school. She said her heart jumped when Majd, her eldest son, appeared in his regalia at his graduation ceremony a year and a half after arriving in Antigonish. (Antigonish, NS)

The Hadhad family's business "Peace by Chocolate" is expanding. While Mr. Hadhad and his eldest son are setting up their new factory that will accommodate a number of new employees, his wife Shahnaz and their eldest daughter Alla are at their original tiny local, serving customers. (Antigonish, NS)

JoAnn is a member of the sponsoring group who welcomed the Hasan family to resettle in Halifax. (Halifax, NS)

Five friends have formed a private sponsoring group. They call themselves Les Marraines Solidaires. They speak regularly by Skype with Fetna and her children Yara and Yasser, who have been surviving in Beirut, Lebanon waiting for their official papers to be able to come to Canada. (Montreal, QC)

A warm welcome after a year and a half of waiting. When Fetna, Yara and Yasser arrived and were greeted by their sponsors at the airport, it seemed more like a reunion of old friends than a first meeting. (Montreal, QC)

George and Gracia speak with her elderly parents, still in Aleppo, by Skype. Most refugees left loved ones behind, a very difficult situation many refugees are facing. (Montreal, QC)

Carol's teacher in her school in Montreal, recommended her to the Tim Horton Children's Foundation as a candidate for their summer camp. Tim Horton camps focus on leadership. There are a number of Tim Horton camps across Canada, and it was a 10 day stay at the camp in Tatamagouche that was offered to Carol. She is participating in an activity that introduces entrepreneurship, as well as dealing with social justice. (Tatamagouche, NS)

Nisrin, as a poet, and Mustafa, as a musician, participate in a research project of the Department of Music and the School of Social Work of Laval University in Quebec city which looks at the effects of participating in musical events based on multicultural exchange on the social integration and psychological well-being of refugees. (Quebec, QC)

The collective Chantons Ensemble is recording their composition after 3 months of weekly workshops at the University of Laval. Their composition touches on their experiences that bind them, some as Quebecers and others as refugees. Their conductor, Juulie Rousseau, masterfully conducts the group. (Quebec, QC)