Students take to the streets to raise funds for global refugees

York students slept on the streets, foregoing showers, and eating only from what was donated to them in an effort to raise funds for Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
Life of a Mesopotamian Refugee, hosted by the Assyrian Chaldean Syriac Student Union, aims to demonstrate the hardships that displaced persons face every day. Participants endured meagre rations and harsh weather, dependent upon the goodwill of strangers for three days from November 16 to 19.
Mary Anton, third-year health studies student, slept in front of McMaster University, 40 minutes away from her home. She recalls waking up to the fierce winds on Wednesday night, screaming for her tent, which toppled over.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s rain or shine, we don’t care because we want to live as they’re living,” says Anton.
“Sleeping outside was really safe because I’m there with people I know. But at the same time, I was still scared because I would wake up every half-hour because I’m scared someone might be there, whereas refugees actually have something to be scared of.”
She cannot imagine what refugee mothers must feel like then, being displaced and vulnerable.
Mary Anton moved from Iraq to Canada with her family when she was 10-months old. She says that there were days during the program when she was cold to the bone, but she could not give up because she keeps thinking how easily her own mother and father could’ve been one of those refugee that she is trying to raise funds for.
ACSSU is spreading their message across the province, including York, Brock, Ryerson, McMaster, and the University of Toronto. ACSSU says that all donations go to the Catholic Near East Welfare Association, a charity mandated to alleviating poverty in the Middle East.
CNEWA is a registered Canadian charity and all donations will be matched by the government.
Eshu Paul, president, ACSSU at York, says he would love to have students camping out here at York. Unfortunately, the York administration refused to authorize the program.
York cites safety concerns as the reason for refusing, says Paul.
Nonetheless, York students still participate by joining those sleeping in front of Ryerson and McMaster University.
This is the project’s third year. ACSSU has established that all funds are directed to improving the lives of displaced persons in Syria and Iraq and not towards refugee sponsorship.
Rosemary Yachouh, president of the national ACSSU calls the Assyrians “the Indigenous peoples of the lands that ISIS has invaded and as a result are facing an ethnic cleansing in their homeland.”
Yachouh says a focus on minority groups among refugees is important because, “if they are not given a safe haven or priority, their cultural existence is doomed in this world and is left up to the diaspora for its survival.”
Supporters of the program can donate on their youcaring.com crowdfunding page. Donations will be accepted until December 6.
Salma Ibrahim
Contributor