My name is Babur Mobarak, I am the Community Settlement Program Coordinator for the Halton Multicultural Council. I have spent two third of my entire life as a refugee moving from one point to another in search of a safe and secure place. I still remember the time when my parents refused to leave our house despite of fighting and danger as they were waiting for their 16 years old son who disappeared one day and never came back.

I believe he might have been killed like thousands others who vanished and disappeared from streets, schools and roads. I walked for exactly 6 days non- stop on a very narrow path surrounded by explosive mines and I had to climb mountains to get to a secure place. If you have seen the Kite Runner movie or have read the book, it simply describes my life story and many other refugees like me. I feel very fortunate and lucky to have the chance to come to Canada. Currently I am the Community Settlement Program Coordinator for the Halton Multicultural Council. I am here today to talk to you about the Halton Multicultural Council and how the United Way helps to support the settlement services we offer to the Halton Community.

I was fortunate when I came to Canada to have completed my BA in English literature and I had worked internationally for the United Nations for more than 10 years.

Still when I came to Canada I did not know anything about the Canadian systems, the available services and my rights. With the help of Settlement program I was able to open my first bank account, I was trained to use an ATM machine and manage my monthly expenses. They helped me to believe in my skills and referred me to the appropriate services. I was encouraged to upgrade my skills and attend classes to improve my English communication skills. They found an apartment for me to rent and they refer me to a family doctor. I was assisted to enrol my children in school and now I have two private English language teachers at home (my kids) who on a daily basis correct my pronunciation and grammar.

From my own experience and the many times it is described to me by our clients it is an exciting, wonderful, scary, intimidating, eye-opening, disappointing, hard, heart wrenching, lonely, fulfilling experience.

The Halton Multicultural Council is a community agency dedicated to enabling every individual, regardless of racial/ethnic origin, to participate as full and active members of this community by fostering mutual respect and understanding. To achieve this goal, HMC offer a series of programs and events for Halton residents.

Through our 30 years of experience serving newcomers to Canada, we know, new immigrants choose their settlement destination based on proximity to friends and relatives. Employment, housing, schools are all important elements for the success of a newcomer's ability to adapt. However, physical closeness of family and friends is crucial to a newcomer's quick adaptation to their new home. As HMC is the leading settlement agency in the Halton Region, we provide essential services that newcomers require during those initial years in Canada. Without our agency as a resource to the community, there would be no one to perform these critical services for our family members and friends.