Surge in Syrian refugees has school backpack program seeking donations

Fidaa Alasahher says a backpack full of free school supplies will help her 12-year-old son Tarek adjust to school and catch up on the years he missed out of the classroom. 

The Alasahher family is hoping to receive one of more than 2,100 well-stocked backbacks from the Caring and Sharing Exchange, an Ottawa agency that says the arrival of Syrian families is driving the demand for supplies beyond what they can manage.

The agency runs the sharing in student success program, and has been providing free backpacks full of age-appropriate supplies — like crayons, notebooks, pencil cases, geometry sets and calculators — to children in need for the last five years.

But this year, demand for the backpacks has skyrocketed: the Caring and Sharing Exchange has seen a 33-per-cent increase in requests this year, which means the agency has an additional waiting list of more than 850 clients.  

Now, they're hoping the public can help them raise $35,000 to meet demand. 

"I am just really hoping that as a community we can come together," said Cindy Smith, the agency's executive director. 

"It's hard to go back to school without the necessities you need for school. You feel isolated, and it's a hit to your confidence. And the first day of school should be fun for children."

Missed 3 years of school 

Alasahher, her husband Zide, Tarek and six-year-old Mouhamad came to Ottawa as refugees in February 2016 after fleeing war-torn Syria three years ago.  

Before coming to Canada the family took refuge in Lebanon, but Tarek wasn't able to attend school there. His mother says she wants both her sons to get a good education, and that starts with the proper school supplies.  

"[Education is] very important for them because they stayed out of school for three years when we moved from Syria," said Alasahher, speaking through a translator.

"In Lebanon you can't do your education."

Donations accepted until Sept. 30

One local agency the Caring and Sharing Exchange distributes backpacks to is the Somali Centre for Family Services. Smith said that last year the centre requested 63 packs, and this year they've requested backpacks for 300 children, a nearly five-fold increase.

The Centre reports that nearly 97 per cent of the children on their list are Syrian newcomers, Smith said.

Smith said the backpack program's budget is $125,000. The agency will accept donations up to Sept. 30, but Smith said they'd prefer to fill all the requests for backpacks before the start of the school year.  

"I'd like to appeal to the people in Ottawa to help us [ensure] children to go back to school with their heads held high and ready to learn."