About Us
IAFR was established in response to the need for an international Christian non-profit agency devoted to the mission of helping people survive and recover from forced displacement. We do this in partnership with local churches, refugees churches around the world, and the church-at-large. IAFR Canada operates in partnership with The Peoples Church in Toronto.
Current Projects
Covid 19 Response - Uganda
Refugees living in refugee camps are particularly vulnerable to the Covid 19 pandemic. This is due to crowded conditions, difficulties accessing soap and water, and many underlying pre-existing health conditions. Along with our partner I Live Again Uganda, IAFR is supplying soap to residents of the Palabek Camp in Lamwo Uganda. ILA is coordinating soap distribution with the UNHCR in the camp.
Distribution is happening now amongst the most vulnerable refugees, including pregnant women and mothers with babies, as well as malnourished children.
Due to restrictions and isolation, lack of food has also become an enormous need. Therefore IAFR and ILA are working together to provide food, as well as soap, for those who are internally displaced in the Acholi quarter in Kampala.
Potter's House - Uganda
Potter's House is a partnership initiative between IAFR Canada and I Live Again Uganda. I Live Again Uganda is a Ugandan organization that has provided trauma counselling care to victims of war since 2008. Site plans have been prepared and ILA and IAFR are looking forward to furthering the development of the 23 acres of land in the northern region of Uganda for The Potter's House! The Potter's House will be a place of encounter where individuals and families that are in need of counselling ministry will find healing. The time that individuals will have at The Potter’s House will bring hope, healing and identity through various trauma counselling and therapeutic services provided including music, art, pottery, play and adventure and many more. The Potter's House is addressing the global need for trauma and mental health support. It will also provide retreat, refreshment, care and training for those serving and providing services for victims of war. International, local and community leaders, NGO’s, government officials, faith based ministries and other interested parties will be welcomed to receive support from this site.
Medical Supplies - Malawi
IAFR Canada is working with our partners Health Partners International Canada (HPIC), There is Hope, and IAFR USA, to bring much needed health supples into Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi.
Dzaleka health centre, located in Dzaleka Refugee Camp is a government owned facility supported by UNHCR which serves the population in the camp and host community. The clinic provides primary health care services to a catchment population estimated to be over 80,000 persons.
Essential drugs are provided by central medical stores, UNHCR procurement and support from other partners, but supplies are inadequate to meet the demand.
HPIC works to supply medicine where most needed around the world. IAFR Canada, along with IAFR USA and There is Hope (Malawi), is working with HPIC to provide medicine to Dzaleka. This includes 20 Humanitarian Medical Kits (HMKs) available that will add up to 12,000 treatments of molecules as itemized in the normal essential medicines in demand for this health clinic. Each kit has up to 600 treatments for primary health care.
Church Engagement - Canada
IAFR Canada is actively helping churches discover their critical role in supporting refugees both locally and globally. We are training churches to better understand refugee realities and helping local congregations find ways to engage with forcibly displaced in life-giving ways that play to their strengths.This is a unique time in history. Our world is currently facing the largest number of recorded refugees in human history. Churches are eager to be involved but are looking for information, training, and coaching as they take steps to engage with forcibly displaced people in their community and around the world.
IAFR Canada aims to expand the number of churches across Canada who are actively involved with refugees, and to strengthen the ability of these churches to respond in ways that fit who they are as a congregation.
We offer interactive workshops, facilitated conversations, coaching, and other tools to help churches develop a ministry strategy for engaging with refugees
We help churches recognize their congregational assets and limitations and facilitate listening to God collectively as they discern the best ways for them to get involved
As churches get involved with refugees we offer coaching, encouragement, prayer and connection to others doing similar types of ministry
Direct involvement with refugees provides a powerful context for discipleship to take place. We provide tools for churches to grow deeper in their faith through their involvement with refugees.
Shelter for Refugee Claimants - Canada
Open Homes
IAFR Canada is partnering with local churches in Hamilton and with Micah House Refugee Reception Services to establish a multi-church network supporting refugee claimants by offering home-based hospitality. This initiative is called Open Homes Hamilton.
Each church contributes Hosts who offer space in their home for a newly arrived refugee claimant to live for 2 to 4 months as well as Companions who volunteer to provide settlement support and friendship. The Open Homes leadership team ensures that refugee claimants have access to the information and community resources they need to navigate the refugee claim process.
Why is Open Homes needed?
• The number of people seeking protection in Canada is expected to keep increasing
• In Canada, there are no formal support services for these refugee claimants, making their initial days very difficult. Refugee claimants do not qualify for the resettlement programs that are offered sponsored refugees.
• Many refugee claimants are arriving in the city of Hamilton, but a lack of space in shelters leaves people vulnerable to homelessness and exploitation. Currently the number of refugee claimants arriving in Hamilton far exceeds the capacity of the only refugee-specific shelter in the city. In 2017, Micah House had to turn away over 500 people who they could not accommodate.
• Hospitality is core to the Christian faith. When the Bible speaks of hospitality, it is specifically talking about showing love to foreigners and strangers. Open Homes is a great way for Christians to live out the spiritual practice of hospitality.
The Peoples House
The Peoples House is a project of International Association For Refugees together with The Peoples Church in Toronto. The Peoples House was created in response to the increasing demand for safe housing for refugee claimants in Toronto. Thousands of refugees are fleeing their homes due to war, danger and persecution and coming to Canada, seeking a safe home and an opportunity to start afresh where they can belong and contribute. The Peoples Church in Toronto has responded to this need by providing a safe home at The Peoples House for approximately 8 to 14 refugees at a time who would otherwise have no safe place in Toronto.
The Peoples House is a loving community where:
strangers are welcomed- dignity is restored- and hope is found
African Hope Learning Centre
Cairo - Egypt
African Hope Learning Centre (AHLC) promises a better today and brighter future to African refugee children living in Egypt. Laughter can be heard, as children play and are given the luxury of an education that many refugees still don’t have access to.
AHLC is located in a relatively small building that once housed a family of 8 in the greater Cairo area. Every possible space is utilized, with both morning and afternoon shifts, in order to accommodate the many students who have sought refuge in Egypt due to war, violence and persecution in their home countries.
Due to overcrowding and prejudice in local schools, refugee children need alternate learning centres. AHLC is a safe place of learning for more than 450 refugee children, K-8 from over 9 different African nations. It is here where students receive instruction in core subjects, character training, access to basic health care and are guaranteed a nutritious, hot meal each day.
School fees are kept as low as possible, covering 30% of running costs, in order to welcome the most children while respecting their unique economic situation.
Currently IAFR Canada has one Canadian worker in Cairo supporting the school for the 2019-2020 school year. Right now Tom Morrison is on the ground helping the teachers and students in the classrooms, as well as providing extra-curricular music training for the children.
AHLC is always looking for more volunteer teachers and administrators to join their team. If you are interested please contact us.
Support for Vulnerable Women - Middle East
Twice a year, teams from IAFR Canada visit the Middle East to offer support to vulnerable women in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Turkey. IAFR workers host events for women and also visit families in their homes. As a result of these visits, an exciting initiative has begun in partnership with churches in Iraq. This program teaches sewing to women, offering them new skills and new economic opportunity. Currently the sewing program is providing income for 29 displaced women and their families in Erbil.
Prayer Mobilization
IAFR Canada partners with the 24-7 Prayer movement to mobilize prayer for and with refugees both in Canada and around the world.
In conjunction with 24-7, IAFR’s prayer initiatives seek to:
· Connect churches to refugees in Canada and around the world;
· Train missionaries for hospitality and cross-cultural engagement;
· Mobilize and equip churches to intercede effectively for displaced people, welcoming communities, and policy-makers;
· Initiate projects that highlight the refugee experience and the love God has for his vulnerable children.
Prayer Pilgrimage - Mexico
In 2019 IAFR Canada will be visiting Chiapas Mexico for the purpose of a prayer pilgrimage. Many thousands of displaced people continue to cross the southern border of Mexico as they flee violence and persecution. In 2019, in partnership with 24-7 Prayer, IAFR and 24-7 representatives will be visiting the southern border of Mexico in Chiapas, where, along with the local church, we will be praying with people who are walking this portion of the refugee highway. This is a pilot project in which IAFR and 24-7 seek to understand how best to pray for, and with, displaced people while they are on their journey to safety.
The IAFR Canada Board of Directors
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Norman Musewe - Chair
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Brian Dawkins - Treasurer
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Sandra Ryan - Secretary
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Nelson Chang
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Sam Chaise
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Brian Jose