From Refugee to Community Leader: Safa’s Journey of Transformation in Canada
By Danielle Verzosa, Community Engagement & Communications Coordinator, Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House
When Safa Abdulmalk arrived in Canada at the age of 11, she carried with her the weight of a difficult and disrupted childhood. Born inside a taxi on a warm, sunny day in Syria, her mother often remarked that Safa couldn’t wait to be born, eager to see the world from her very first breath.
By the age of eight, however, Safa and her family were forced to flee their home due to the ongoing civil war. They found temporary refuge in shelters near the Jordanian border, where life was marked by harsh realities, no beds, only mats to sleep on; no schools, shopping malls, community centres, or playgrounds. Even basic necessities were distant. “We had to walk almost ten minutes just to get to the bathroom,” Safa recalled.
“Imagine being a young person experiencing all of this, when children should be safe and comfortable in their own homes, not worrying about their safety,” she reflected.
A turning point came when relatives of her mother, already settled in Canada, sponsored the family’s resettlement. Though the transition to yet another unfamiliar country was daunting, it was filled with hope. In Canada, for the first time in years, Safa felt free to dream.
Safa’s journey of growth and transformation began when her mother was referred to the Preteen Program at Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House (MPNH). At the time, Safa had little experience socializing, but the Youth Workers at MPNH made her feel welcomed and supported.
Initially, Safa felt closest to Iman, a former Youth Worker who also spoke Arabic. Over time, she formed a deeper connection with Thanh, who took the time to truly get to know Safa and her family. Thanh always paid attention to what the group needed and tried to make it happen, which Safa really appreciated. This care and effort helped her feel a stronger connection to the community.
Today, Safa feels immense gratitude toward MPNH. Through her involvement, she not only improved her English but also gained confidence, leadership skills, and a strong sense of belonging. She went on to volunteer with children and preteen day camps and consistently took initiative to welcome newcomer youth in Youth Space programs—helping others feel the same sense of community that had empowered her.
Safa’s involvement flourished. In 2023, she represented MPNH at the national Canada We Want Conference in Ottawa, where youth from across the country gathered to share their visions for the future.
“To be in a room with more than a hundred youth from across the country, sharing our hopes for the future—it was powerful,” she said. “That moment made me feel like I mattered.”
Now 18, Safa works as a Child and Youth Worker at MPNH, the very organization that once supported her own development. Her role not only allows her to give back to the community, but it also helped her secure scholarship funding. She is now preparing to begin post-secondary studies in September 2025.
Safa’s long-term dream is to become a police officer, driven by a passion to ensure that children and youth have safe spaces to live and grow.
Today, Safa Abdulmalk is not only a former refugee, she is a proud community leader, a passionate advocate for newcomers, and a powerful voice of resilience and hope in Canada’s evolving narrative of inclusion.
Stories like Safa’s fill neighbourhood houses across Metro Vancouver - ones of hope, resilience and transformation
With widespread settlement funding cuts and a new federal legislature that puts the lives of refugees at risk, neighbourhood houses are more important to the lives of newcomers than ever!
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