Community is not just a place; it's a feeling of unity, a sense of belonging, and a source of endless inspiration.
Multilingual Verse
19 March 2024
Location: University of Toronto Mississauga
We’re excited to host an insightful conference on March 19 to discuss the research findings from “Engag3D”, a collaborative research project between the Syrian Canadian Foundation and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). This research explores the pedagogical affordances and implications of VR and AI as language learning tools.
World Refugee Day Celebration
June 22, 2025
To mark World Refugee Day, we gathered to honour the strength, stories, and journeys of refugees and newcomers. Through art, conversation, and shared experiences, the event offered a space for healing, creativity, and connection. Artist Khaula Siddique led a calming painting workshop, while Amira from ABRAR Trauma & Mental Health Services guided a powerful wellness session. We were honoured to hear inspiring words from MP Fares Al Soud and a moving personal story from guest of honour Mustafa Alshardoub. Co-hosted with the National Zakat Foundation and supported by Smile Canada, the day was a beautiful reminder of the power of community and compassion.
Trauma-Informed Care workshop
June 10 & 17, 2025
We concluded a two-part Trauma-Informed Care workshop series, led by the compassionate and insightful Zainib, founder of Wellnest Therapy. Over the course of the sessions, the SCF team explored the complex realities of trauma, how it manifests in our personal lives, workplaces, and in the communities we serve. These workshops offered an eye-opening and deeply reflective learning experience, helping us build the tools to show up with more care, compassion, and awareness. We’re incredibly grateful to Zainib for holding space with such sensitivity and wisdom, and for guiding us through conversations that are as challenging as they are essential.
Sawa Program Community Visit to St. John’s, Newfoundland
May 2025
As part of our Sawa Women’s Wellness Program, the SCF team travelled to St. John’s to host community consultations with Syrian women and youth. Guided by a GBA+ approach, we’re co-designing our programming based on their lived experiences and needs. We also met with local partners, including the Association for New Canadians, Amal Organization, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to ensure alignment and impact. A highlight was visiting Newbornlander, a social enterprise employing and empowering Syrian women through sewing, English classes, and fair wages
Run The World Summit – Women in Leadership Panel
April 5 and 6, 2025
At this year’s Run The World Summit, our Executive Director, Marwa Khobieh, joined the Struggle to Strength panel to share her personal journey, from the early days of the Syrian revolution to rebuilding her life in Canada and dedicating her work to supporting refugees and newcomers. The summit brought together visionary women leaders, investors, and changemakers who are breaking barriers and redefining success on their own terms. It was a powerful moment of connection, reflection, and inspiration.
N.E.W Venture Program Receives TD Ready Challenge Grant
April, 2025
Thanks to the TD Ready Challenge, our N.E.W Venture program received a transformative grant to support innovative solutions for underserved entrepreneurs. This milestone will allow us to expand beyond Ontario for the first time, bringing our programming to newcomer and refugee women in Quebec. The funding also enables us to deepen our impact through enhanced wrap-around services, including business language training, mental health support, a 6-month incubator for select businesses, and a pitch competition offering direct funding. We’re grateful to TD for believing in our vision and helping us take this bold next step to create economic opportunity for newcomer women across Canada.
Roadblocks in the Labour Market – Research Launch with Durham College
March 7, 2025
We were proud to partner with Durham College to launch the research study Roadblocks in the Labour Market, spotlighting the challenges newcomer women face in entering the workforce. WICE participant Arzo Mohammadi shared her powerful personal story in conversation with Professor Kandice Wileman, illustrating the resilience of newcomer women navigating systemic barriers. The event engaged professors, students, and community leaders, emphasizing the role of storytelling in driving policy change.
Big Announcement for Syria
March 8, 2025
We were proud to host a community event with Omar Alghabra, Canada’s Special Envoy for Syria, where he shared insights from his recent trip to the Middle East and Canada’s evolving role in supporting Syria. Thanks to weeks of advocacy, we were thrilled to see Canada take concrete steps to aid Syria’s recovery, including $84 million in humanitarian aid, eased economic sanctions for sustainable aid delivery, and restored diplomatic relations to support peace and stability. This milestone reflects the power of our voices as Syrian Canadians, and we are grateful for Omar Alghabra’s support and proud of SCF’s role in keeping Syria a priority for Canada.
Graduation event N.E.W Venture Program
Feb 26, 2025
We were incredibly proud to celebrate the graduation of our fourth N.E.W Venture cohort! At CSI Spadina, we came together to honor 24 amazing newcomer women who have shown incredible dedication and growth throughout the six-month N.E.W Venture entrepreneurship program. Their hard work, resilience, and passion have driven remarkable progress in their businesses, and we couldn’t be more inspired by their achievements.
Roundtable Discussion
Feb 26, 2025
SCF was honored to join Syrian Canadian organizations in a roundtable discussion with the Prime Minister before his departure. We expressed gratitude for his leadership in resettling over 100,000 Syrian refugees and highlighted their contributions to Canada. The discussion covered Syria’s ongoing challenges, the need to lift sanctions, and the role of local NGOs. As a token of appreciation, we gifted Manal’s Chocolate, a refugee-led business, and a painting by Syrian Canadian artist Nada Khatib.
Welcome Gaza Gala
Feb 22, 2025
SCF was honored to sponsor the Welcome Gaza Gala, joining Luxe Affairs, SITTI, and the National Zakat Foundation in welcoming over 200 Gazan families. We shared our upcoming SCF programs designed to support these families and emphasized the importance of community care, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported.
WICE Equity in Action Summit
Feb 09, 2025
A day of inspiration and impact! The Equity in Action: Bridging Networks for Women in Civic Engagement Summit brought together powerful voices, stories, and strategies to advance equity. From stories of resilience to empowering words on overcoming self-doubt, and an insightful panel discussion, every moment reinforced the strength of newcomers and the importance of belonging. Our WICE participants shared their research on labor market barriers, and we were moved by courageous personal journeys of struggle and perseverance.
N.E.W Venture Mentorship Dinner
Nov 20, 2024
We marked Women’s Entrepreneurship Day with an unforgettable dinner for our N.E.W Venture participants and the inspiring mentors who are helping shape their business journeys. The evening was filled with meaningful connections as mentees met their mentors face-to-face and gained invaluable advice from our mentor panel. We explored topics like building successful businesses, navigating adversity, and staying ahead in the fast-paced world of technology.
Sawa Workshop
Nov 9 and 10, 2024
We concluded our Sawa mental health program with an in-person workshop led by Lamia Tatari. Over 25 women came together to share stories, laughter, and meaningful connections. Each participant received a special cookbook filled with heartfelt recipes contributed by the women themselves, a beautiful symbol of resilience, strength, and shared journeys.
N.E.W Venture New Cohort Launch Event
Sept 12, 2024
We officially launched the 4th cohort of N.E.W Venture, our 6-month entrepreneurship program supporting 31 incredible women as they kickstart their businesses in Canada. Hearing their stories and aspirations was truly heartwarming.
Summer Picnic
Aug 29, 2024
We had an amazing time at our summer picnic at Coronation Park! We are grateful to everyone who showed up and made it such a special day. We’re so thankful for the incredible community we have. Our summer interns did a fantastic job with activities like freeze dance, a scavenger hunt, and an open mic.
Onto The Next Multilingual Verse
19 March 2024
We’re excited to host an insightful conference on March 19 to discuss the research findings from “Engag3D”, a collaborative research project between the Syrian Canadian Foundation and the University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). This research explores the pedagogical affordances and implications of VR and AI as language learning tools.
Cultural Night Iftar Fundraiser
17 March 2024
SCF is excited to announce that we will be hosting an iftar fundraiser as part of the Home Starter Kit campaign, aimed at raising funds to support new refugees in Canada. Your support matters, and we look forward to seeing you at the Cultural Night Iftar Fundraiser!
Women in Civic Engagement Launch Event
July 26, 2023
Celebrating the launch of our Women in Civic Engagement Program with heartfelt thanks to our incredible participants and facilitator, Sanaa, for their enthusiasm and talent. Together, we look forward to making a positive impact in our community.
Sawa Picnic Event
June 8, 2023
Celebrating the successful completion of our SAWA program with heartfelt thanks to all who made it special. We gathered at Coronation park in Oakville on a beautiful sunny day.
Iftar Fundraising Dinner
April 10, 2023
We are so proud of and thankful to Girls on a Mission who managed to throw a stunning and successful fundraising Iftar to support our Home Starter Kit campaign. We are happy to announce that they have reached their fundraising goal of 10K!
HER Startup Pitch Event
November 12, 2022
We hosted the inaugural HER Startup in-person event where program participants connected with instructors, funders, and the HER Startup community, featuring business idea presentations, product samples, and delicious food.
Connect with SCF Community Event
August 20, 2022
We hosted an exciting cross-cultural meet-and-greet at High Park in Toronto with over 50 attendees. The event was full of delicious food, fun games, and incredible prizes, fostering a sense of community bonding.
Dixie Bloor Summerfest 2022
July 30, 2022
SCF attended the Summerfest 2022 by the Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre. We set up a booth and organized a fun-packed day with trivia, ping pong on spoon race games, calligraphy, giveaways and many more exciting activities.
Paint Night with Expression by Nada
June 24, 2022
We partnered with the talented “Expression by Nada” to facilitate a fun and engaging cross-cultural paint night event for 25 newcomer participants.
Peace by Chocolate Movie Screening
May 18, 2022
We attended a screening of the movie “Peace by Chocolate” with refugee guests, thanks to 30 sponsored tickets from Tareq Hadhad. The film showcases the inspiring story of the Hadhad family, who settled in Nova Scotia in 2016 and launched “Peace by Chocolate,” highlighting the positive impact of their Canadian journey.
March for World Refugee Days 2022
March 20, 2022
For World Refugee Month in June, SCF held an online campaign where former refugees shared advice to inspire hope and confidence for newcomers, along with a Downtown Toronto march with our partners.