A group of local woman are working hard to provide relief for Syrian refugees.
Miriam Silveira held a fundraiser at her home Wednesday, selling new and gently used clothing to help Syrian refugees who are arriving in her home city of Sao Paulo, Brazil and her friends supported her efforts.
“Ten families a day are arriving and being helped by churches,” Silveira said. “One of my friends there posted on the internet asking for help.”
In the first week of October she is going to Brazil for two months and plans to take money there to help buy things for the refugees.
“There are lots of children there without parents because the parents are sending the children on without them for a better life. They need diapers, food, clothes and everything,” she said.
Sao Paulo is a multicultural city and growing up Silveira said there was a small Syrian community. However, in the last month, that community has being growing. Anyone interested in donating funds can contact Silveira at 250-398-5322.
A Walk for Harmony and Rally for Refugees will be held in Williams Lake on Monday, Sept. 21.
The event takes place in Spirit Square at noon with the short walk starting at 12:15 p.m., followed by a light lunch at 12:40 p.m.
The walk coincides with the United Nations International Day of Peace and is being organized by the Canadian Mental Health Association, Cariboo-Chilcotin Branch.
There are about 20 million refugees in the world today displaced by war and violence, says CMHA’s Margaret-Anne Enders.