Stories
National Indigenous Peoples Day
Today, on June 21st, we commemorate National Indigenous Peoples Day, a momentous occasion dedicated to recognizing and honoring the profound history, cultural heritage, unwavering resilience, and remarkable diversity of the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples across Canada To honor this significant day and deepen our understanding of Indigenous cultures and issues, we have curated…
Read MoreEid Al-Fitr Celebrations Across the Globe: From Bangladesh to Iceland
Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is a significant event in the Islamic calendar that marks the end of Ramadan. During Ramadan, Muslims worldwide fast from sunrise to sunset, making Eid al-Fitr a time for feasting, gift-giving, family, community, and reflection. Although the holiday is celebrated similarly in many…
Read MoreHadayat Rahimi: A Humanitarian’s Journey from Afghanistan to Canada
Hadayat Rahimi (center) with his volleyball colleagues and youth team. When you spend time at ISANS, you’re bound to hear one of the many captivating histories that fill our offices and classrooms. We serve a hugely diverse population of immigrants, and we have staff from more than 70 different countries, each with a unique story…
Read MoreHelping to build a welcoming & inclusive province: Gerry Mills
“This is an amazing place to work. I come up the back stairs every morning and as I walk in it’s a jolt of electricity. Okay, here we go!” That spirit and enthusiasm is indicative of the dedicated career of Gerry Mills, who has retired after 30 years in immigrant support, most recently as ISANS…
Read MoreHelping to build a welcoming & inclusive province: John Deans
John Deans was lying on the couch one day in 2015 when he heard an appeal on the radio for volunteers to help resettle Syrian refugees. “I’d never done anything like this,” he says. “I immediately called the 211 number, thinking I’d just help out a bit.” John was assigned to the Bayers Lake distribution…
Read MoreHelping to build a welcoming and inclusive province: Roshanak Sadeghi-Zadeh
Mentors played a huge role in helping Roshanak Sadeghi-Zadeh settle in Canada, and now she is assisting others by being a mentor and practice interviewer at ISANS. “Mentors really impacted my life,” says Roshanak. “They empowered me to find my way in this big scary new world when I first came to Canada.” Roshanak had…
Read MoreHelping to build a welcoming & inclusive province: Margaret Casey
Highly regarded Halifax physician Margaret Casey shares her medical expertise as an ISANS volunteer with International Medical Graduates (IMGs). Retired from active practice for 13 years, Margaret works with newcomers, helping them get licensed to practice in Nova Scotia. “I love talking about medicine but, more importantly, it’s been very rewarding for me to meet…
Read MoreHelping to build a welcoming & inclusive province: Ali Al-Khazaali
From the insecurity of life in Iraq, to becoming a volunteer with Feed Nova Scotia, Ali Al-Khazaali’s journey through life has taken many different turns. Ali arrived in Nova Scotia in October 2017 with his wife, Aster, and twin seven-year-old boys, Ezzuilden and Mohammed. They had fled Iraq a few years earlier to live in…
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