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Third Group of Syrian Refugees Receive a Warm Welcome to Kamloops

When Mohamad Almousa envisioned his arrival to Kamloops, he only expected to have one person waiting in the airport for him and his family.

<who> Photo Credit: KamloopsBCNow </who> Mohamad Almousa being welcomed by the community of Kamloops at the airport.

Instead, when the family of four landed at the Kamloops Airport, about 30 people were waiting in the terminal to welcome them to their new home.

Almousa, 35, wife Amani Alsaiti, 29, and two young boys Hamzah, 6, and Ghelan, 3 are the third group of Syrian refugees to come to Kamloops.

<who> Photo Credit: KamloopsBCNow </who> Hamzah, 6, Mother Amani Alsaiti, 29, and Ghelan , 3, arrived in Kamloops on Thursday.

“Thank god that we finally did it and arrived here safely to Kamloops and to Canada,” Almousa said through translator Hasan Ketanneh.

The family had been travelling for three days before making it to Kamloops.

Together the Islamic Society of Kamloops and Refugees and Friends Together (RAFT) sponsored the family to Canada. The family was welcomed by members of the groups and the public in the airport with a song and cheers.

<who> Photo Credit: KamloopsBCNow </who> President of Kamloops Islamic Association Faisal Siddiqui (left) and Rojeh Labbad who recently arrived to Kamloops with his brother.

“He’s really speechless. He was surprised when he saw this crowd waiting for him and singing and welcoming him,” Ketanneh translated. “When he saw this crowd and community with flowers and everything, he was surprised and thankful.

“It feels like he’s home.”

According to the Islamic Society of Kamloops, Almousa has 10 years of veterinary experience specializing in cattle and wife Alsaiti was a language teacher in Syria.

“His main objective is to integrate with the community in the right way. To maintain his culture back home and to integrate with the new Canadian culture,” said Ketanneh.

The first priority for the family will be to enroll in English classes and to find appropriate schooling for the boys.

The Islamic Society of Kamloops have found a place for the family to live.

Other Syrian Refugee families have arrived in Kamloops including a family of four in December, two brothers in January and a lone young man on the same day.

RAFT is expecting to sponsor several more families in the upcoming weeks including a couple with a newborn.




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