Winnipeg restaurant serves up opportunities for refugees

When Mohammed Naser first came to Winnipeg, he was relieved to have found a place he could feel safe. Fleeing the civil war in Syria, he arrived in Manitoba in 2012 — but Naser says that starting over in Canada wasn't easy. 

"I came here to grow my life, to be successful. But it's hard for me because of the language," said Naser, "I try to make my language better, and that's what I advise everyone coming here to Canada to do: study hard to learn more about English."

Now, five years after he arrived, Naser is doing his best to help other refugees struggling to adjust to a new life and a new language. 

Naser, now fluent in English, recently fulfilled a long-held dream: starting a restaurant. He and his business partner Heba Abd El Hamid opened Arabesque, a Middle Eastern café, last fall. 

The pair knows first hand how difficult it can be for refugees to start over, learn English and feel comfortable in their new home.

That's why they've made it a priority to hire refugees to work at Arabesque. Meet one of their Syrian employees — Mohammed — in the video above!