Winnipeg church pilots refugee project

A Mennonite Brethren church in Winnipeg is taking the lead in a unique project to place African refugees in rural Manitoba instead of the city.

According to an article in the Winnipeg Free Press, FaithWorks, a relatively new church in River Heights, started negotiations with government officials in July for a pilot project to settle 50 new African refugees in Morris, 60 kilometres south of Winnipeg, in 2005. Louise Giesbrecht is spearheading the project.

Giesbrecht says that many African parents, already stressed by a new culture, language, and jobs, are “bewildered” by the crime, drug and alcohol abuse, and teen pregnancies they witness in the inner city. Sometimes the youth get tragically caught up in these events, as was the case when 14-year-old African native Sirak Okbazion was shot dead in front of an alleged crack house August 27. Six focus groups of African refugees and immigrants that met with Giesbrecht expressed a desire to escape the inner city.

FaithWorks selected Morris for the pilot project because of its proximity to the city and its large community centre with a kitchen. Morris mayor Barrie Stevenson is enthused about the project, saying “We’ve got about 1,700 people who are willing to help.”

The town of Altona has also contacted Giesbrecht about participating in the program. Some communities see the refugees as one way to reverse depopulation.

Both federal and provincial governments are interested in the FaithWorks proposal but are waiting for cost analyses to be completed.

—from report in Winnipeg Free Press