By Ian Holmes

Family Adjusting to Life in Qualicum after Years in Refugee Camp

Jul 20, 2016 | 3:11 PM

Months of hard work have paid off for the Qualicum Refugee Sponsorship Group.

A family of eight, originally from Myanmar, that was matched with the local sponsorship group has arrived in Qualicum Beach.

The family of three adults and five children spent the past 20 years at a refugee camp in Thailand and is now settling into their new seven bedroom Qualicum Beach home.

Qualicum Refugee Sponsorship Group chair Carol Doering says the family seems happy to be in Canada.

“Especially the younger children are very inquisitive, they want to try everything, and touch everything, they’re really looking at everything that goes by because everything is so different. The father of the family, he seems very, very happy,” Doering said.

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Doering says thankfully an interpreter, who was a refugee herself eight years ago, will help the family adjust to their new life.

“She totally understands what the family is going through, and she can speak with them, so she can help them to ease into things, particularly with safety things around the house. They’ve never seen a microwave before, they’ve never seen an electric stove before, so she’s going to help them with those sorts of things.”

Doering says their volunteers will try to balance the space the family will need with assistance their volunteers can provide, as they navigate their new life in Canada.

The family is being supported through a blended sponsored refugee program.