Samira and Omer, a mother and son, were violently separated while fleeing civil war in Sudan in 2016. After their separation, Samira was unsure where Omer was or whether he had survived. Omer was just 15 years old at the time.
Samira was resettled to Canada as a refugee, where she tried to begin a new life. But she was constantly thinking about Omer. “Here in Canada, my situation is very different from the past. I am very happy, and I thank the government of Canada that I am here. But at the same time, I have been missing part of my life: my children.”
A year after arriving in Canada, Samira discovered Omer was still alive after a friend recognized him in a photo Samira posted on Facebook, “I had two different feelings at the same time—joy and sadness. My joy was that—he is alive. But my sadness is knowing he is so far away from me,” Samira shared.
When Samira discovered this news, she applied for family reunification so Omer could join her in Canada. Family reunification is a rights-based legal pathway that allows refugees to be reunited with family members. At that time, Omer had been trafficked and was living in Chad in a dangerous situation. In Chad, a RefugePoint family reunification expert met with Omer and helped him with the steps needed to reunite with Samira. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed this process.
Finally, after years of separation and countless video calls, Samira and Omer were reunited in Vancouver in May of 2023. Holding Omer tightly, Samira said: “Tonight is the first night I will sleep peacefully in Canada.”
Over 110 million people—about one in 74 of the world’s population—have been forced from their homes due to conflict. Many are separated from family and loved ones along the way. Family unity, a fundamental human right, should be accessible to refugees no matter where they come from or where their families are located. Yet without help, these reunions are often not possible. We need your help to ensure this right becomes a reality for more and more people.