Name: Abdullah Shalwah, his wife Fadhaa Qasim, their children Saif Abdullah Shalwah (14), Rahaf Abdullah Shalwah (12), Ali Abdullah Shalwah (8), and Kayan Abdullah Shalwah (7).

Profile: Refugees from Iraq, living in Indonesia.

Advantages: UN-certified, good English skills, Abdullah is an experienced hairdresser, and his kids are education lovers.

Risk: At risk of being tortured and killed by the extremist groups if returned home.

Canadian contact: Stephen Watt

Abdullah Shalwah, a skilled hairdresser from Iraq, faced a life-threatening attack by extremists, leaving him injured and his family in danger. Fearing for their lives, Abdullah, his wife Fadhaa, and their four children fled to Indonesia.

 As UN-certified refugees, they endure challenges, deprived of education and work opportunities. Their dream is to secure a safe and prosperous life in Canada. Qualified for Canada's private sponsorship program, they seek the support of five Canadian citizens who can bring them to Canada.

The Attack

Abdullah was born in October 1983, in Nisiriyah, Iraq. He had a happy life with his wife Fadhaa Qasim, and his four children. To support his family, he used to work as a hairdresser.

At his salon, he used to have religious and political discussions with his customers which was normal in Iraq. His life changed on July 15, 2023, when some unknown extremists attacked his salon and beat him.

“They came out of nowhere and cut multiple parts of my right arm with a sharp instrument.”

Their purpose was to kill Abdullah. Fortunately, local people gathered and saved Abdullah from them. He was admitted to a hospital, and he still has the scars on his arm.

Family in Danger

A few days later on July 20, 2023, the unknown extremist strangers tried to kidnap Abdullah’s daughter Rahaf, but fortunately, Abdullah’s friends and neighbors saw that and they protected her. 

“It was a clear message for me that I and my family members were in grave danger. I had no way but to leave the country and seek a safe place.”

The Journey

After deciding to flee from Iraq, Abdullah visited a travel agency and arranged his travel documents. On July 25, 2023, Abdullah and his family flew from Nisiriyah to Qatar, and from there, they flew to Jakarta, Indonesia on July 27, 2023.

Life in Indonesia

After arriving in Jakarta, Abdullah and his family moved to Cisarua, Bogor. On September 29, 2023, they registered themselves with the UNHCR. Since then, they have been living in Bogor.

Life for Abdullah and his family is very challenging in Indonesia. As refugees, they cannot get a proper education, work, drive and travel to another city. Abdullah says:

“I am very concerned for my children’s future. It is the time for them to get a proper education, but they have been deprived of their basic human rights.”

Parent's Dream 

As parents, Abdullah and his wife Fadhaa Qasim’s dream is to see their children living in a land of freedom where they can have a good life. Since they cannot return to Iraq, nor they can fulfil their dreams in Indonesia, there is only one way which is to be sponsored to resettle in Canada.

As UNHCR refugees in Indonesia, they qualify for Canada’s private sponsorship program.

If you would like to sponsor this beautiful family – or if you’re just interested in helping to bring them here – please contact their friend Stephen Watt on Facebook.

You can reach out to Abdullah directly on Facebook – or through WhatsApp: +62 852-8094-5792

Reach out and discover how wonderful it is to privately sponsor a good person to start a new life – with your help – in Canada!

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