Support for Syrians
Soccer tournament raise funds for team to continue to play
KITCHENER — Before the ball was even dropped, they’d already reached the goal.
Organizers of a fundraising soccer tournament played at Cameron Heights Sunday were celebrating the response from donors — which will help a team of Syrian refugees finance their entry into a local men’s league.
KW Syria United, a squad of 25 local young men who’ve escaped war-torn Syria, look poised to play their second season in 2018 after more than $3,000 was raised on the weekend.
The tournament was organized by the Waterloo Public Interest Group, a student social justice run out of the University of Waterloo, and Grand River Union, a local soccer boosters club.
The fundraiser featured a round-robin of games between the Syrians, Grand River Union and another team of former Myanmar refugees, called Rohingya FC.
Once the games started, it didn’t seem to matter what language the players spoke.
“It’s amazing for us,” said Refaay Alsalem, 19, one of the players on the Syrian team.
“We’re so excited about this ... Soccer is one thing we can all play and share. This way, we can make Canadian friends.”
Levi Oakey, a member of Grand River Union, said his group wanted to help out, after learning the Syrian team likely wouldn’t be able to raise the $4,000 entry fee into the local league.
He said soccer is a universal language, and seemed like a good way to help the newcomers adjust to life in Canada. After registration fees are paid, the team will still need financial support for new equipment, and the KW Syria United GoFundMe website will remain up for a few more weeks.
“This is an opportunity for us as members of the community, and fans of soccer, to help them integrate,” Oakey said.
“Some of them are in a rough spot. Some still haven’t been able to find work, some haven’t felt like they’ve integrated.”
Alsalem came to Waterloo Region about two years ago, and met most of his teammates at a local hotel that refugees were housed at before being given long-term housing.
The Rohingya team, meanwhile, said they were happy to help out a team of fellow refugees. They say their own soccer club has allowed them to build a sense of community, and gives their youth something positive to focus on.
“For 90 minutes, we want to forget about what’s happening in our countries and just play,” said Saifullah Muhammad, the team’s co-founder and adviser.
“When we found out about this, we said ‘OK, no problem. We will support them.’”