In 2011, Senayit fled to South Africa from Ethiopia due to political issues and instability. She spent 8 years in South Africa as a refugee with her family. Senayit describes her time in South Africa as being very challenging for her family with no work opportunities for immigrants and high-crime areas. In South Africa her husband fell sick and with very little access to healthcare, Senayit describes how difficult it was to raise 3 young boys and take care of her husband constantly worried for their safety and health.

For many years Senayit’s family had struggled to find sponsorship and attempted to find sponsorship through the UN organizations in America but that came to a halt with the Trump administration. It was only when a friend from Canada came to visit in South Africa and learned of their troubled situation, that they were introduced to Care for Refugees and Elfinesh that they successfully began the sponsorship process.

After a year and a half of a sponsorship process with Care for Refugees, and many more ideal years Senayit and her family arrived in Halifax, Canada in October 2019. Senayit describes her transition to Canada seamlessly through the help and support of Care for Refugees, where her family was provided with the support to settle into their new life in Canada and introduced and welcomed eagerly into the Halifax Ethiopian community. When asked, what she is most grateful for in Canada Senayit mentions  “Freedom, Safety, and access to healthcare was amazing for my family. Being sponsored by Care for Refugees and coming to Canada has truly changed my life. I think back on how hard life was in South Africa – how you go to the hospital, and you are no more than a number…many of my friends have died there or are still refugees struggling to find sponsorship”.

Senayit and her family are settling well in Canada. In the future Senayit hopes to go back to school and study management or become an early childhood educator, through the support of Care for Refugees she is currently taking courses in IT.

-Senayit Shewarega Story