There are a few new faces in Prince Albert.
The YWCA Newcomers program facilitated the arrival of two refugee families from Africa.
“I was a refugee in Addis (Ababa), I was registered with the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) as a refugee,” said Maria Ali Mohammed, 24, who is here with her 14-month-old daughter, Idman Abshir Ali.
It was through the program that Mohammed was able to move from Ethiopia to Prince Albert.
“Even though I had never heard of the place before,” she laughs.
“It’s nice place so far. People are nice. It’s a small place and beautiful. People always smile. I love it.”
Mohammed was born in Somalia, but grew up in Addis Ababa — the capital of Ethiopia — with her grandmother and uncle. As a Somali, she was treated as an outsider, so she is excited about living in Prince Albert.
“I want to study nursing — that was my dream from when I was young,” Mohammed said.
There have been a couple of things to get used to — the temperature and the snow are the biggest ones.
“This is my first time in some snow. I had never seen snow before,” she said.
“I was scared the first time when I came out and saw the snow. Idman loves it.
“She wants to grab the ice and play with it.”
Brighten Anako, 20, also likes the snow. Although he’s not a big fan of the cold, he is excited to be in Prince Albert.
“It’s (an) opportunity. I am very glad, so happy at last to leave Africa, where they have fighting always there,” he said.
His brother John, 17, agrees. He still remembers how he felt when he learned he would leave Benin, where they were refugees, to come to Canada.
“I was so happy after so many years of struggle and challenges,” he said.
The Anako brothers, along with their younger brother and mother, were forced to flee Nigeria 10 years ago.
“Nigerian government came killing our people just to take all the oil. We ran away with nothing and we don’t know where we are running to,” Brighten said.
Like Mohammed, the Anako brothers have had to leave family behind. Their father is still in Nigeria.
“Right now, we don’t know where he is. We just have his cellphone number,” Brighten said.
Both brothers are looking forward to going back to school, complete their education and get good jobs.
ahill@paherald.sk.ca
