Islanders looking to help support Syrian refugees

A Charlottetown resident doesn't understand why it's taking so long to bring four refugees who are members of herfamily to Canada.

Luba Kaboush's family left Syria as things started to fall apart in the war-torn country. They'vebeen living as refugees in Lebanon for more than two years.

"We don't want any supportfrom the government. We support our own family, just bring them here,"said Kaboush.

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More than four million refugeeshave fled Syria since the civil warbeganin 2011. There are also more thanseven million internally displacedpeople within Syria.

Susan Nye-Brothers and Dan Doran are working together, through the Catholic Diocese, to help bring Syrian families to P.E.I. They say the number of people and the red tape make it a daunting task.

"To not be able to help at all and to have to deliver that news to somebody who is beggingfor, for this friend of theirs to be helped. It's pretty gut-wrenching for sure,"said Nye-Brothers.

Doran talks to some refugees via Skype.

"There'sa constant emotional and mental challenge of dealing with warfare and bombs. Many of the families have lost either close friends or members of their own family, so that part of it is really tough,"he said.

Call for support

The two are currently working on bringing 40 Syrian refugees to P.E.I.

The pair would like to see the federal government make it easier for groups to sponsor Syrian families by offering more financial support and reducing the restrictions placed on incoming refugees.

"We're hopeful to see our government as well come up with some typeconcrete plan that could mirror what other countries are doing or at least be as inventive andcreative,"said Nye-Brothers.