There are thousands of displaced Hazara people in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, and in the countries that surround Afghanistan. Some live in camps, others in detention centres and refugee housing, while still others try to survive on their own, despite not being legally allowed to work . What unites them is a resilience and a will to succeed, built from generations of outlasting the struggles in their homeland. Supporting Hope asks volunteers to simply connect and chat with a refugee for 1 hour a week for 4 weeks.  Much like the days of having a pen pal, both sides benefit from the exchange: your life will be enriched immensely.

There are many ways to help, besides the deep commitment that can come from advocacy and private sponsorship.  Providing regular contact, through online phone calls, can have a big impact on boosting the morale and offsetting the isolation faced by many refugees, and benefits for you as well. Your conversations can involve:

• Cultural exchange - learning about Indonesia, the refugee's homeland and talking about your heritage and life in Canada

• Just talking about your day - compassion and support go a long way. Being a refugee can be lonely and isolating - they enjoy learning about your life.

• English practice - many refugees have had english lessons and just need to practice english conversation.  If you want structure, you can use conversation prompts to practice conversational English. Others need more structured lesson.  We will match you based on your interest.

• Sharing hobbies and making connections - the more you learn about your partner, the more connections you can help them make. Maybe they love football and you do too. You can watch a match together.

Requirements:

Our Refugee Connection Volunteers must have the ability to host calls - ideally video calls, if the refugee has the technical ability on their end. You also need sensitivity and the ability to occasionally deal with tough subject matter with compassion and delicacy. The is no formal training, however you must speak with a coordinator prior to us making a match.

Commitment:

1 hour a week for online calls for a minimum of 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, you can continue if both sides agree.  Or, you can meet a new refugee, or stop.

Interested? Email hazarahoperefugeevolunteer@gmail.com

The persecution of the Hazara people and the resulting refugee crisis is, in some ways, a political crisis that demands a political solution. As we've seen with refugee crises in the past - such as with the Vietnamese boat people, who gave rise to Canada's private sponsorship program in the 1970s - the potential for mass, positive change is great when the public gets involved, and demands that elected leaders take action.

Advocacy can take many forms, from academic conferences to letter writing to protests. And it often takes place quietly, by reaching out to those who move the levers of power. If you have a talent for advocacy - whether through public proclamations or private relationship-building, we need your help.

Requirements:

Strong planning and organizational skills. The ability to coax and drive action while maintaining empathy and a light touch.

Commitment:

1 month to help our team (a number of whom are advocates themselves) put together a plan of action.

 Another 6-8 months to keep the team of volunteers on track toward delivering those on goals.

Interested? Let us know!

Hazara Hope is a grassroots effort, consisting of volunteers who have joined together for the common cause of helping the Hazara people find peace and hope in the face of violence and persection. The network has grown without a formal structure or leadership, extending our reach and gaining fresh energy with each new addition to our network.

Now it is time to take the next step. Getting organized a host of benefits, including a greater say at the table when it comes to connecting with other organizations and advocating for change at all levels of power. We know the many of the steps involved to achieve each organizational milestone. What we need is someone with the time, patience and attention to detail to help us achieve each milestone.

Requirements:

Strong planning and organizational skills. The ability to coax and drive action while maintaining empathy and a light touch.

Commitment:

1 month of help to help break down our goals into achievable milestones and a timeline. Another 6-8 months to keep the team of volunteers on track to delivering those on goals.

Interested? Let us know!

At the moment, the private sponsorship program is the only hope that many Hazara refugees have for starting a new life in a country that gives them full opportunity, dignity and human rights. In Indonesia and other countries the UNHCR has few plans for resettlement of any refugee.

If you're an average (or above average!) Canadian who wants to get involved, know that private sponsorship is one of the most rewarding experiences you canimagine, something that will change both you and the world you live in. That means joining a settlement team to sponsor a refugee to come to Canada and provide support during those crucial 12 months in the country. 

Requirements:

Access to a printer and scanner for the sponsor documents. A car is helpful when the refugee arrives, though certainly not necessary.

Commitment:

You can fill in the required sponsor forms and scans in just a few hours. Getting to know your sponsor team and dividing up settlement duties may take a few hours more than that. But it often feels more like social time than actual work. After that...

1.5 years or so of waiting for the refugee to arrive, then the first year of their settlement in Canada.

Ability to commit to the first year of settlement, and to a friendship that may last a lifetime.

Interested? Let us know!