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Refugee families arrive in valley

Three families of government-sponsored refugees will make their homes in the South Okanagan.
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A third family of refugees from Syria have arrived in Summerland.

Three families of government-sponsored refugees will make their homes in the South Okanagan.

The three families arrived late Monday afternoon.

One will be located in Summerland, one in Penticton and one in Naramata.

Adnan and Hayda Albdulrahman, their eight-year-old son Mohammad, six-year-old son Abdulhakeem, four-year-old daughter Bisan and eight-month-old son Jawad will live in Summerland.

They are the third family of Syrian refugees now living in Summerland.

The Albetar family arrived in late March, 2015, sponsored by Summerland United Church and the Al Sheblaque family arrived on Feb. 14, sponsored by the Summerland Refugee Sponsorship Committee.

When the Albdulrahman family arrived by bus at the West Kelowna bus depot, they were greeted by members of the Summerland Refugee Sponsorship Committee.

Coun. Doug Holmes, a member of the committee, said the Albdulrahman had been in a hotel in Vancouver for the past two months.

Because of their temporary conditions, they were not able to take English language training and their children were not in school.

He said Eklas Al Sheblaque, the mother of the family that arrived in Summerland in February, and Hayda Albdulrahman knew each other from before they arrived in Canada.

In addition, the three families who arrived in the South Okanagan on Monday all know each other.

Holmes said while the refugee sponsorship group had been working to bring another family to Summerland for several months, the arrangements in bringing the Albdulrahman to the community came about quickly.

 



John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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