'Soon, all of Canada will be our family:' Syrian family adjusts to a new home
Canada meet Abdallah Al Abdallah and the rest of his family. We visit a Syrian family sponsored by a Toronto group to get an update on how they are settling in to the reality of Canadian life and leaving family behind.
There's still a world of people that needs help. People are living tragedies in Lebanon. There are sieges, there's destruction... unprecedented inflation. No heat, no oil. Nothing.- Sawsan Ahmad Awad, daughter-in-law in Al Abdallah family
The Current was first introduced to the Al Abdallah family in Nov. 2015. After fleeing Syria for Lebanon, they left family behind to make Toronto their home, thanks to 17 individuals in a group called The Ripple Refugee Project.
Andrew Fitzgerald was one of the first people Anas Al Abdallah met when he first arrived at Toronto Pearson airport. He came ahead of the rest of the family back in November. Fitzgerald recalls his first days as "very wide-eyed" as he was eager to soak everything in, videotaping out of the window of the car.
Now Anas, 31, is joined by seven of his family members, living in two apartments in northeast Toronto.
The Current's Friday host Piya Chattopadhyay went to visit the family to find out how they are settling into Canada.
Here in Canada, they don't differentiate between people. Everyone lives peacefully and safely.- Abdallah Al Abdallah, Grandfather
This segment was produced and translated by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar.