Calgary group produces informational videos for Syrian refugees

A Calgary-based group, appropriately named Ahlain which means ‘welcome’ in Arabic, is hoping to help Syrian refugees coming to Canada by creating a series of informational videos.

The non-profit organisation was started by a group of friends who wanted to work together on a project that would be aimed at helping the community. That’s when they came up with Ahlain.

The brainchild of co-founders Jon Yee, Cesar Agudelo, Esmahan Razavi, Lindsay Amantea, and Trevor Doerksen; Ahlain has so far created three informational videos, Welcome to Calgary, Drivers License and Calgary Transit, which can be easily accessed through their website.

“We met with a few refugees and they said they will use it,” Jon Yee, co-founder of Alhain, told Calgary Buzz. Yee says the response has been positive so far, and with so many refugees planned to come to Canada the videos are expected to be a helpful informational tool for them.

“Ahlain started in December 2015 with planning – setting up emails, and getting the site ready,” Yee said, “filming started just a little before Christmas.”

Additional support, from local physicians, accountants and lawyers, has helped produce some of the organisation’s upcoming videos that will be appearing on the site in the next couple of weeks. A few contributors to the informational videos include Dr. David Swann, Dr. Jillian Ratti, ARB Tax, and volunteer lawyers who also volunteer for Calgary Legal Guidance.

“We appreciate Calgary’s help in being so receptive,” Yee says.

The non-profit organization will also be receiving technical support from a local technology company called Mobovivo, which has created apps for the Oscars, ESPN and CPAC. Ahlain’s free app will be launching on Apple and Android devices in the near future, making information more easily accessible for the Syrian refugees.

Eventually, the group wants to become national as well as provincial and for now they are playing large part in helping connect Syrian refugees to Calgary. You can help Ahlain by spreading the word and keeping up to date on their Facebook, and website, Ahlain.org.