Ahmed: Muttar Ahmed

ahmed: So when Zainab Kadhem headed to a local caf recently with her new friend Muttar Ahmed, she encouraged Muttar Ahmed to place the coffee order herself, according to CBC. She told me she wants to be independent, able to talk to people, said Kadhem, Muttar Ahmed came away with the coffees, and a boost in confidence from having finished the transaction in English. But for a newcomer like 24-year-old Haneen Muttar Ahmed, it's also a first step in the complex journey to adapting to a new country. She was so happy, she was jumping with joy, said Kadhem. The volunteers receive simple training and a few ground rules, such as not to provide employment or housing. Helping newcomers integrate into community Kadhem, who's about a decade older than Muttar Ahmed, isn't just a recent acquaintance she's also a volunteer with a new peer support program for Syrian refugees offered by Ottawa Community Immigrant Services Organization OCISO . The program connects Arabic-speaking volunteers with Syrian newcomers, and one of the program's key goals is to help refugees integrate into the community. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.