The Current

Refugee youth alone in Canada share their incredible stories

Young refugees who arrive in Canada alone have incredible stories to share. They have left families behind to gain freedom and safety, forcing them to grow up and survive on their own. We hear from two teens who arrived in Canada this past summer.
Last year, 51% of refugees were under 18 years old, the highest figure for child refugees in more than a decade, according to the UN Refugee agency. (Reuters/Mohammad Ismail)

Benny from Afghanistan and Robin from Eritrea, joined Anna Maria Tremonti in our Toronto studio. (Sujata Berry/CBC)

Every journey to this country is different. We want you to meet two young refugees who now call Toronto home seeking a better life.

Both are 17-years-old, and both arrived in Canada this past summer. And each of them is on their own - they fled to Canada without their family. ​They both get support here in Toronto through Matthew House, which assists newly arrived refugee claimants to Canada. 

We're using pseudonymns today to protect their identities.

  • Benny is from Afghanistan.
  • Robin is from Eritrea.  

If you're listening to our special today on children and the refugee crisis and have your own refugee story to share, please tell us about it.

Send us an email, find us on Facebook or tweet us @TheCurrentCBC.
 

This segment was produced by The Current's Pacinthe Mattar and Sujata Berry.