Ola Zeinalabdin, 22, was one of the first Syrian refugees to Canada in December 2015. She says the Tools for School program helped make her transition easier. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

classes start soon

Syrian woman credits Tools for School program for easing transition into Red Deer

Aug 25, 2019 | 11:13 AM

One of the first Syrian refugees to arrive in Red Deer in December 2015 says her family was escaping soldiers in the streets and constant gunfire that was too much to bear.

Ola Zeinalabdin says one of the programs that made her feel immediately at home was Tools for School, which is organized by Central Alberta Women’s Outreach Society.

Zeinalabdin was given a backpack full of supplies for the school year at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive, and new shoes from Love in the Laces, an initiative by CrossRoads Church.

Now, Zeinalabdin is volunteering with Women’s Outreach while more than 100 newcomers go through the same process.

“Newcomers have really low income support. The support they get from the government is for renting housing, buying food, paying bills, so maybe the dad or mom will buy new shoes or a backpack for the kid(s), and it’s not going to be the children’s choice. Here, they get to decide,” she explains.

election yet to be called

Conservative Party, People's Party choose candidates for new federal Red Deer riding

4h ago

local man seeking to prevent closure

Judge's decision pending in overdose prevention site injunction case

21h ago

JAN. 15 NUMBERS

Pigeon Lake residents pocket $100,050 in lotto win

23h ago

“When you’re a child, it’s a very good feeling. Volunteering here, seeing the smiles on their faces when they get their shoes and their backpacks, it is the best.”

Zeinalabdin, now 22, credits Tools for School and Love in the Laces for helping her family integrate. She’s now doing open studies at Red Deer College with hopes of going into nursing and/or becoming a doctor, not to mention becoming a Canadian citizen with her two younger siblings.

Programs like Tools for School also help to counter negative experiences for newcomers, she points out.

(rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

“There was one time I remember I was leaving a store, and a guy stopped me and said ‘Go back to your country.’ I asked if his dad was from Canada, and he said no. I asked if he was First Nations, and he said no, so I said we are all in the same situation here,” Zeinalabdin recalls.

“I asked him if he could listen to what he just said, and how he would feel if I said that to him. I was wearing a hijab, so I asked him if that made him feel not welcome. He said no, so I said then we are no different; we are all human, we are all under the same sky. We talked and he was really sorry after. I encourage people to ask because we are happy to answer.”

As of August 15, Women’s Outreach had collected 175 school supply kits, but no backpacks to put them in. After the donation from Costco, the need is reversed, with the annual campaign needing a boatload of school supplies to fill the sudden surplus of backpacks.

The 2019 edition of Tools for School has brought in more than 900 backpacks, still shy of the goal of 1500. Love in the Laces is still looking for around 400 more pairs of shoes to reach its goal of 1000.

Tools for School is currently looking for donations of school supplies to fill 480 new backpacks recently donated by Costco.

Donations can be dropped off at Central Alberta Women’s Outreach Society (4101 54 Ave.) or at any of the following locations: WalMart Sylvan Lake, Staples (south), United Way office, CrossRoads Church, Allstate Insurance office.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the rdnewsNOW newsletter here. You can also download the rdnewsNOW mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.