who we are

About Us

We are a group of students and professionals who have worked together to build an organization imploring youth to work with the community to help strengthen the refugee and immigrant population through unity and integration.

Founded in December 2015, we embarked on a journey to re-establish the way nonprofits work, and to strengthen the communities they are involved with. We believe that modern day obstacles and problems need modern day solutions, thus the creation of The Refugee Centre and its sister NPO DevBloc.

Aims

  1. To provide a sustainable structure of integration for refugees and immigrants in Canada.
  2. Offering support for students and their families as well as the Montreal community as a whole.
  3. Supporting the community and particularly students through various mediums, not limited to any one particular sector of aid.

Objectives

  1. Provide resources for displaced refugees to access, a place of habitation, access to education, and the right of immigration according to Canadian Law.
  2. Develop policy both domestically and nationally regarding refugees and related issues.
  3. Work hand in hand with local and international organizations to promote and enhance the lives of incoming refugees in Canada.
  4. Create and enhance the economic situation of refugees in Canada by promoting economic integration through grants and refugee run initiatives.
  5. Raise funds and receive contributions where appropriate to finance the work of the Centre.
  6. Publicize and promote the work of the Centre.
  7. Assist refugees with banking and insurance procedures.
  8. Create housing alternatives and initiatives to aid in housing the refugee/immigrant population. Organize meetings, training courses and events.
  9. Work with similar groups and exchange information.
  10. Assist refugees with banking and insurance procedures.
  11. Create different support outlets that economically and socially aid the student population in Montreal at large.
  12. Build business development programs or centres to help strengthen the student population as well as the community including, and not limited to, business accelerators and incubators.
  13. Take any action that is lawful, which would help it to fulfill its aims.
  14. Recognize the unique mental health challenges of the refugee population and prioritize  mental health in all the Centre’s services and activities.

What We Hope to Achieve

ANNUAL REPORT 2021
ANNUAL BUDGET 2022
(INTERACTIVE)
WHO WE ARE

Our Team

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Abdulla Daoud
ADMINISTRATION
Catherine Harder
Office Manager
Ella Brown
Office Admin
PROJECT MANAGERS
Kinan Swaid
Project lead - Director of Operations
Anissa Jeeroburkhan
Project lead - Director of Community Health
Natasha Guerriero
Project lead - Director of Communications/Housing Coordinator
Me Pierre-Luc Bouchard
Head of Legal Aid
Camille Fournel
Outreach Coordinator
Alina Murad
Advocacy & Media Relations Coordinator
LEGAL AID
Brett Howie
Lawyer
Claudia Mouangé
Paralegal & Legal Researcher
Javier Garcia
Legal Intern
Gajanan
Legal Intern
Fawaz Halloum
Legal Intern
ORIENTATION
Abdoulaye Bangoura
Resettlement & Integration Officer/Researcher
Natalia Ibañez
Resettlement & Integration Officer/Researcher
Diego Fraser Del Carpio
Resettlement & Integration Officer/Researcher
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Mahsa Khallaghi Zadeh
Caseworker
Najla Cheniouni
Caseworker
Franshesca Carmiglia Arriagada
Caseworker
Heydar Ensha
Caseworker
Majd Audi
Caseworker
LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Shayan Moharerzadeh Kurd
English & IELTS Teacher
Mohammad Fattahi
French Teacher
INTERPRETERS
Constanza Rosas
Noor Coll
Ella Brown
COMMUNICATIONS
Jeremy Sepulveda
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Lena Wang
Graphic & Web Design Intern
OTHER PROJECTS
Dimitri Topaloglou
Software Developer
Sean Levis
Research & Development of Housing Officer