The Pursuit of Normal
Andine's Story

Andine fled her home country of Rwanda six years ago, seeking asylum and a safe life in Hong Kong. As a mother traveling alone with two young children (her husband joined them a year after living in Hong Kong). When Andine heard about RUN, she grabbed onto this opportunity to get outdoors and connect with others through our Sport Programme. In addition to staying physically active, Andine also pushed herself to develop by learning computer skills through our Education Programme.

Although Andine was "lucky" to have her refugee claim recognised after a year (0.52% of claims in Hong Kong are recognised and the wait for approval can take several years), it was unclear when and if she and her family would be able to start a new life. With the large numbers of refugees around the world in need of resettlement, Andine’s applications for resettlement were not a priority, leaving her feeling hopeless about her family’s future. In Hong Kong, her family would continue to live in limbo indefinitely, forced to rely on charitable support from organisations like RUN, as refugees have no right to work here.

Finally, through a connection to an organisation in Canada, Andine and her family were able to be resettled to Toronto through a new model of private community sponsorship. In preparation for the move, RUN worked with Andine to craft a CV to highlight her experience and recent study achievements so that she would be able to approach her job search with confidence. Andine's kids are back at school, her husband works full-time, and Andine is now doing a part-time course in hospitality management while working at a hotel.

When asked about her hope for the future, Andine laughs. “What can I say? We are hoping to be Canadians, that’s all, and to be good people,” she says. “You can never tell the future, but now, we’ll be able to pay for our own house, our own food, we’ll be able to have a normal life, and that’s what we’re looking for.”