Former war refugee living in Winnipeg hoping to give back by helping Ukrainian refugees

A former refugee now living in Winnipeg says the war in Ukraine seems all too familiar, and he’s hoping to help in any way he can.

“Our people went through the war in Iraq and in Syria, and we feel for the Ukrainian people and what they’ve been going through for the past 10 or 15 days,” Omar Rahini told Global News.

“We know (what) it’s like to feel the bombs drop and what it’s like to be in a war country, not knowing when it’s your last time, when you’re going to die.”

Rahini lived in a refugee camp in Iraq for 18 years, before coming to Canada in 2001. In the chaos of war, he was separated from his then-fiance, now-wife.

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“She got lost in the war and she saw the war, and I couldn’t contact her for a couple of years,” he said. “And then we found her and we went back, she was actually injured in the war. Her sisters and my dad (were) also injured.”

Rahini is the founder of Hire a Refugee, which aims to help newcomers find work. He says when he first arrived in Canada, Winnipeg’s Ukrainian community was extremely supportive of his family. Now he wants to give back in any way possible, and help Ukrainian refugees.

“As we came before, Ukrainians in Winnipeg helped us. A lot,” Rahini said. “We want to for sure give back, we’re so eager to help. Please, if anybody needs help with anything — donations, furniture, jobs — we are ready. Anything for the Ukrainians. We are ready day and night to help them.”