Blog
Limerick Group tells their story of welcoming a Syrian family
About three years ago a group of staff at MIC (Mary Immaculate College) were approached by our friend Ahmed Hassan from Doras. Ahmed came with a very interesting proposal. Over coffee, he explained a new way to welcome refugees to Ireland. Through a collaboration between the Irish government, the UN Refugee Agency and NGOs, any community of people would be given the opportunity to come together to welcome and support a family seeking international protection in Ireland.
He outlined this innovative process whereby a community could sponsor a family. It involved finding a suitable vacant house and preparing it while also undergoing supportive training. The sponsoring community would be guided through online learning about migrants and how best to support a family coming from a very different culture, often fleeing very challenging circumstances. There was also a safeguarding requirement for community group members to be Garda Vetted and to do an online training in child protection (Children First Training is are requirement for all groups working with children, alongside Garda Vetting.)
Our group took a leap of faith. We looked for volunteers and we got 18 amazing people with a range of skills as parents and community members who raised money through quizzes, raffles, donations and business match funding. We were told that if we raised €5,000 or €10,000 there would be an equal amount of match funding available to support the family. When we put our minds to it, we surprised ourselves and managed to raise €30,000 in no time.
We all undertook the training. We were shocked by the scale of the challenges facing migrants globally and we knew we wanted to do something. We never dreamed that we could be part of anything that could make a difference, even to one family.
A member of our group knew of a vacant house and the owners kindly agreed to pledge it for HAP (House Assistance Payments) rental to a refugee family for two years. Our Community Sponsorship Group helped to get the house ready for a family and we had to ensure it was up to current fire safety and rental standards. We decorated it. We spent fun time as a group, getting the garden ready, refreshing and furnishing the house, so that when the Council’s inspectors came it passed.
After over a year’s preparation, we finally got to meet our family online. They came from Syria and had fled the war there. They had spent ten years in Jordan in a refugee camp. There was a mum, a dad and three beautiful children who were all born in a refugee camp. A translator facilitated our first online meeting and three of our group got to meet the children and family. They arrived in June 2023 and with a translator and Ahmed from Doras, two of us nervously and excitedly went to Dublin airport to meet them. It was a joy to see them in the flesh and accompany them back to their new home. The role of our community group was to welcome and support them, introduce them to neighbours, local shops and amenities, get places for the children in local schools, help them fill out forms for PPS numbers, medical cards, children’s allowance, HAP payment, etc.
Everything was new for them, and we began to see our city through their eyes. We learned so much from them. We found out about their rich culture, their interests and customs, Halal food, the local Mosque, Ramadan and Eid.
They learned from us about how things work on the ground in Ireland, from getting a bus to finding a GP or dentist. Our community worked together to source bicycles for the children, arrange play dates at the park, bring them to the library, go on outings to the zoo and cinema and most importantly just be there for them when they needed us without suffocating them and stifling their independence.
Our family are amazing. We have watched them grow and adapt. After one year, we marvel at their kindness and resilience. We have great fun together and they are flourishing. In just 16 months their English is incredible, and the children are thriving in school. Mum and dad have made the house a real home and they are studying English. Both had professional lives in Syria before the war destroyed their home and country and careers.
A year after arriving dad is preparing for a university course to upskill and contribute to the Irish workforce and economy. Mum has just given birth to their fourth child, and all are making friends and connecting with the wider community in Ireland.
Recent highlights include the birth of a beautiful healthy baby girl, dad’s passing of the Irish driving test, and just celebrating birthdays in their new home. We have had amazing fun and friendship along the way. We have become accustomed to delicious Syrian food and warm welcomes.
Of course there are great challenges also. One doesn’t flee war and be wrenched from their family and home without deep scars. It takes time to heal and put down new roots. However, we have been privileged to be part of their journey as they are part of ours. They are our family, and we are their community.
One group member, Lorraine McIlrath said, “MIC is delighted to endorse and support the work of the pioneer Community Sponsorship Group and welcome this family to our city and community. Every effort is underway to include the family in all aspects of community life and we feel that we play a pivotal role in terms of lifelong learning and providing new pathways into sustainable employment. As far as we are aware, we are the only higher education institution in Ireland that has led on the development of a successful Community Sponsorship Programme and we look forward to inspiring our colleagues across the sector to undertake similar activities.
