Making a difference in the lives of refugees continues to be a key focus for MOSAIC.
Paul Power, CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA), and Sheila Cranmer-Bying, General Director of Ads Up Canada Refugee Network are visiting MOSAIC on July 4 as a continuation of discussions surrounding the collaborative efforts of MOSAIC, Ads Up, and RCOA in the Operation #NotForgotten (ONF) program.
Operation #NotForgotten (ONF) is a combined initiative from MOSAIC, the Refugee Council of Australia, and Ad Up Canada to provide safe resettlement for hundreds of desperate refugees detained on Manus and Nauru islands, off the coast as part of the Australia offshore processing regiment. RCOA, Ads Up and MOSAIC have come together to support ONF in this endeavour.
To date, there has been substantial progress made through the ONF program:
- 11 individuals have successfully completed their first year of settlement in Canada, taking significant strides towards rebuilding their lives;
- 30 individuals are presently in their initial year of resettlement in Canada, receiving support and guidance from MOSAIC and its partners;
- Among these 41 individuals, six have accompanying family members (25 persons) who will soon join them in Canada under the one-year window provision; and
- 91 individuals are currently undergoing processing with the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), with an additional 93 family members set to follow once their sponsors have arrived, making the total number in processing 184 individuals.
Iris Challoner, Manager of the MOSAIC Private Sponsorship Program, shared her appreciation for the unwavering support extended by Ads Up Canada Refugee Network and the Refugee Council of Australia towards Operation #NotForgotten.
“MOSAIC is very appreciative of the incredible support for Operation #NotForgotten from Ads Up Canada Refugee Network and the Refugee Council of Australia,” Challoner stated. “We look forward to their visit to MOSAIC so we can continue to make a difference in the lives of refugees together. International cooperation and relationships are an important part of changing and saving lives. We are inspired by our partners’ commitment to helping refugees gain freedom and settle into a new and productive future.”
For additional information on the Operation #NotForgotten program, please visit the program page.