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Welcoming Afghan refugees: where to get help?
Because of the current humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, several thousand Afghan people will be finding refuge in Canada, including a few hundred in Québec. In order to facilitate their welcome and integration, there are many organizations and services that can either help the refugees themselves or their loved ones already settled in Québec.
Getting settled in Québec
Many organizations can help people from Afghan communities in Québec. Such is the case with the Afghan Women’s Centre of Montréal which provides, among other services, assistance to newcomers. These services are offered in many languages such as: Farsi, Dari, Pachto, but also in French and English.
Besides the Afghan Women’s Centre of Montréal, other organizations can offer services to newcomers, particularly to refugees, facilitating their settlement in Québec. For example, there is the Carrefour d’intercultures de Laval, the International House of the South Shore in Brossard and even the Carrefour le Moutier in Longueuil.
FIND AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN HELP NEWCOMERS RESETTLE
Getting health care
Refugees can have health care needs that may either be urgent or not. Therefore, while waiting to be eligible for Québec’s Health Insurance (Régime d’assurance maladie du Québec), they can benefit from the Interim Federal Heath Program, which covers basic care (medical consultations, hospital and laboratory services, prescription medication...).
Some community health centres do have refugee clinics that offer services adapted to refugee’s needs. Such as, the CSLC du Ruisseau-Papineau, the Clinique des réfugiés in Laval, as well as, the CSLC Samuel-de-Champlain in Brossard.
People fleeing their country because their lives are in danger can also suffer from post-traumatic stress, requiring medical attention. They can therefore get help from certain Centres d’aide aux victimes d’actes criminels (CAVAC) (Crime Victims Assistance Centres).
Help sponsoring refugees
There are organizations that help people wanting to sponsor refugees, thus facilitating the first steps into their new lives. If you wish to sponsor a refugee, do not hesitate to contact the organization nearest you.
