The snowfall that began on Saturday in Canada was particularly significant for two siblings. The brother and sister, who recently arrived in Toronto as refugees from the east African country Eritrea, witnessed their first snowfall.
Having lived in a predominantly warm country where temperatures never drop below freezing point, what the immigrants experienced in Toronto was obviously an unknown wonder. The five years they had spent in a refugee camp in Syria before reaching Canada had, naturally, not exposed them to anything like this.
A video of the siblings in their winter wear, revelling in the snow, was posted on twitter by Rebecca Davies. According to The Star, Davies helped sponsor the four children and their mother through the private Ripple Refugee Project. The video garnered millions of views and was even shared by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with the hashtag #WelcomeToCanada.
“When a universal, lovely little vignette of kids playing in snow gets this kind of response, it gives me some hope for humanity,” Davis said. The mother of the children had fled war-torn Eritrea in 2013 and managed to make the journey to Canada after spending five years in a refugee camp in Syria.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!