Muslim Food Bank Success Stories

An Iraqi Immigrant Keeps his Spirits High as a Newcomer in Canada

E very immigrant in Canada has a story to tell. For Amaan Ali, it all started at a young age in a northwestern city of Iraq. Like any kid his age, Amaan had little to worry about. His days were spent playing with his friends. One morning, Amaan woke up with high fever and an excruciating pain in both his legs. Seeing his condition, Amaan’s father didn’t wait long. He picked Amaan up and carried him on his back to the makeshift clinic two miles away. The doctor diagnosed Amaan with polio and told his father that Amaan’s legs are paralysed because he was never given polio vaccine. The doctor said Amaan would never walk again. Over the years, Amaan learned more than just walking on crutches. He learned how to work around his disability and run the family business. He learned how to stand firm against all odds to earn a livelihood for his wife and three kids. Just when things started to look up for Amaan and his family, Iraq was invaded. The radio blasted news of civilians being killed across the country. The bombs spared very few schools, the rockets avoided very few hospitals. Very few buildings stayed erect. The warring parties changed but the war raged on. As the years went by, Amaan somehow managed to drown out the noise of bombs falling on his city but he wasn’t able to quiet the noise in his head. He feared losing his wife to a bullet. He feared losing his son to a landmine. He feared losing his daughters to shrapnel. When Amaan heard about Canada accepting Iraqi refugees, the decision to emigrate was a no-brainer. What’s more, he heard that people with disabilities receive a lot of support from the government. With this hope, Amaan went through the application process. He had a plan. He would first move to Canada and find a job. Once he settles down and earns an income, he would sponsor his wife and kids. In September 2016, the Canadian government accepted Amaan Ali’s application to resettle in Vancouver, British Columbia. Besides giving Amaan permanent residence, Canada’s refugee program also paid for his food, shelter and other necessities. At first, Amaan lived in the Salvation Army Belkin House downtown Vancouver but after a few months he found a small subsidized