RIHAM AL RAJEH
THE SHADOW

AS A CHILD IN SYRIA, I COULD DREAM EASILY; DREAM OF WHAT I WOULD BE WHEN I GREW UP. THE WAR CHANGED EVERYTHING. I WAS 11 WHEN MY FAMILY HAD TO RUN, TO LEAVE SYRIA, AND I HAD NO IDEA WHAT LAY AHEAD. IT WAS A DANGEROUS ROUTE THAT TOOK US TO LEBANON, WHERE I WAS FOR 6 YEARS. MY DREAMS STOPPED. I BELIEVED THAT I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO HOPE OR DREAM BECAUSE I WAS SYRIAN. I BELIEVED I WOULD NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE.

THEN, ONE DAY WE DID FIND OUT THAT WE WERE COMING TO CANADA, AND I WOULD NOT DARE TO DREAM THAT IT WAS EVEN POSSIBLE UNTIL I WAS IN THE PLANE, AND IN THE AIR. I HAVE BEEN IN CANADA FOR 2 YEARS AND I HAVE A LOT OF HOPE AND HELP.

I CAN DREAM AGAIN.