Asmaa

With five young children, London was a good choice for  Asmaa and her husband to make their new home after leaving the uncertainty that surrounded life in Syria. Considered a quiet, safe city, London has a reputation as a “good place to raise a family,” and that’s exactly what they needed. Originally from Iraq, the family spent five years in Syria before the United Nations High Commission for Refugees selected their family as refugees to be placed in Canada.
“To have our file selected to go to Canada was a big dream come true,” says Asmaa, who was a medical doctor in Iraq. The entire family obtained citizenship in August 2015, and Asmaa now works in London as a medical interpreter.
“I wish to give Canada all that I can,” says Asmaa, “This is where we will be staying forever and we just want an equal opportunity to succeed.”
When they arrived, the couple didn’t know anybody in London, so they began reaching out as volunteers and immediately sought to get “equalization” for their Master's degrees and to learn how they could integrate into Canadian society with ease. Community connections led  to Asmaa becoming a certified interpreter. She now works for Across Languages.
Asmaa also volunteers with the Middlesex London Health Unit, London Intercommunity Health Centre, London Middlesex Local Immigration Partnership, London Cross Cultural Learner Centre, her children’s schools and community centres.
In 2017, Asmaa was selected for the award “Life As Refugee Award - From Refugee to Londoner.”
She hopes her experience can inspire other newcomers. She urges other newcomers to push through discomfort and get involved in the community through ESL classes, job workshops and volunteering. Doing so leads to improved language skills, which Asmaa considers the key to success in Canada.
“I want to inspire people,” says Asmaa. “I want someone to look at me and say, ‘because of you, I didn’t give up.’”
She asks the broader community to “open your doors for the newcomers,” arriving in London with educational and career experience from all over the world.

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