Integrating and learning a new language can be a struggle for refugees or asylum seekers entering Canada.
However, a dedicated volunteer is committed to facilitating that process through a cooking program geared towards newcomers.
Nour Sayem’s initiative – “Aliments Ensemble” – is a personal labour of love.
“I suffered so much when I came here to be integrated, to be Canadian,” she explained. “I don’t want them to suffer like me. And this was my mission – this is my story.”
Sayem was born in Syria, but has been living in Canada since she was 15. She now volunteers her time overseeing the project, which helps Syrian refugees improve their cooking skills while also connecting to the community.
“We give them a salary and we ensure their transportation. They want to work, they want to be integrated,” she added.
Every week, the women spend time in an industrial kitchen on the Laval University campus, preparing traditional Syrian foods – sometimes with a twist.
“We try to make without gluten – some food without gluten – some vegetarian, some vegan,” Sayem said.” So we are inside of these trends that the consumers want, and with a beautiful, nice taste.”
The program is funded by the city of Quebec, and Sayem is hoping to get additional funding from the provincial and federal governments.
It’s part-time work, and each woman puts in a few hours a week.
The ladies have come a long way since they arrived in Quebec City two to three years ago.
Many of them only spoke Arabic, and French was a completely foreign language.
“I’ve found friends,” said Fatima Milaji, one of the participants. “We talk and we work together.”
The women, like Hanan Abdulkarim, say they hope this experience will help them accomplish their goals.
“I’d like to open a restaurant for Syrians here,” she said.
For now, people can make orders online, and the women sell their products at local markets.
“I love them,” Sayem said. “With love, you can go very, very far. This is my philosophy: loving people. Give them a lot of love. That’s what I learned from Canada.”
