Individual for Outstanding
Achievement Award
2006 Recipient
Annie Zawadi
Annie is the mother of five children, who were aged between 9 and 19 years
when the family arrived in Toronto
in October, 1999. Annie was originally from the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, which was then
known as the Belgian Congo. Owing to severe political
unrest Annie and her family fled to South
Africa, where they were granted permanent
resident status by the Canadian Government.
The family was sponsored by the Holy Trinity
Anglican Church in Thornhill and were met by members of the Thornhill
Ministerial Refugee Sponsorship Committee upon their arrival. Annie has
worked very hard since arriving in Canada.
She has raised her family, is working on a degree with the University
of Toronto and has worked very
hard to help women in abusive domestic situations. Annie and her children
are now Canadian Citizens and are active members of the Heron
Park Baptist Church.
Annie has made a wonderful adjustment to life in Canada,
and has also given back in many ways. She is truly an inspiration!
2005 Recipient
Ignace Musengimana
Recipient of Individual
Award for Outstanding Achievement
Caption: Ignace Musengimana and Gail Holland, Chair of the Anglican
Church of the Holy Trinity Refugee Committee
AURA would like to congratulate Ignace Musengimana as the 2005 recipient
of the AURA Individual for Outstanding Achievement Award. This award is
given to an outstanding refugee who has shown an exceptional level of
achievement in the process of resettlement and integration into Canadian
society. AURA Board Members Diane Anger and Bill Anderson had the honour to
present this prestigious award on Sunday May 29th, 2005 at the Anglican
Church of the Holy Trinity.
Ignace survived the genocide in Rwanda and eventually reached Nairobi in
Kenya. He entered Canada as a refugee, privately sponsored by the Anglican
Church of the Holy Trinity. Upon his arrival in Toronto on November 1999,
Ignace proved to be dedicated and hardworking. He volunteered his
accounting skills and was looking forward to obtain work as an accountant
or a bookkeeper but was unable to find something suitable. He obtained a
student loan and enrolled full-time at York University and will graduate
this year with a bilingual B.A in Business Economics and the credentials of
a Chartered Accountant. He plans to take an additional degree in Conflict
Resolution.
His years working with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) have given him a
good understanding of how the refugee determination system works in
Nairobi. He has been able to offer advice and information to the refugee
committee at the Anglican of the Holy Trinity and this has helped them in
dealing with the Canadian Embassy. He also has been active as an
interpreter and advisor on several of their other sponsorships.
Ignace became a Canadian citizen in 2004. Congratulations Ignace, we are
all very proud of you and wish you all the best!
The AURA Awards Program
AURA is pleased to introduce its new awards program honouring the
outstanding courage, compassion, and achievements of newcomers to Canada.
Individual Award for Outstanding Achievement
The AURA Individual Award for Outstanding Achievement will be presented
to a former refugee who has shown an exceptional level of achievement in
the process of resettlement and integration into Canadian society.
Nominations for the individual award include only those who have arrived in
Canada
since January 1, 1998.
Nomination Guidelines: Deadline April
7, 2006
Nominations are accepted from a variety of sources:
- Any church member
from a sponsoring church(s)
- Any person who has
direct knowledge of the work of a sponsoring group or of the
achievements of a sponsored refugee
- Any Board member or
staff person of WGRR
Nominations should be supported by the following information:
Individual Award Nominations
1. Under what type of sponsorship did the former refugee enter the
country? (e.g. Private Sponsorship, Joint Assistant Sponsorship)
2. What was the individual’s level of English proficiency upon arrival
in Canada?
3. To what degree did the individual have to overcome earlier physical
or psychological trauma upon arrival?
4. What amount of time was required for the individual to become
financially self-sufficient?
5. What amount of time was required for the individual to acquire
sufficient communication skills in English or French in order to gain
employment?
6. Comment on the individual’s academic and/or job training achievement
since arrival.
7. Comment on any notable achievements of this individual and/or contributions
to others in their country or to their cultural group.
(Nominations for the refugee award should be restricted to those who
arrived in Canada since January
1, 1998.
All information provided in the nominations process will be held in
confidence.
Submitting a Nomination
All nominations should be forwarded by email to:
ATTN: Renna Grange
E-mail: awards06@hotmail.com
Awards will be presented at the AURA Annual General Meeting on April 17,
2007
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