When Muhammad, his wife, Fatima, and their two young sons arrived in Canada as refugees from Afghanistan, they had nothing other than fear, hope, and one small suitcase. Along with many Afghanis, they were forced to hurriedly leave their homeland after the American army left in 2021 and the Taliban returned to power. Muhammad had previously worked with the Canadian military as a translator, while Fatima worked with a local women’s rights group, so they knew the Taliban would mark them as targets. “We were very scared,” Fatima recalls. “The Taliban knew our address, so we hid in a friend’s basement until the planes came to take us out of there. It was extremely dangerous just to get to the airport, but we were fortunate enough to make it safely.”

When the plane finally landed on Canadian soil, Muhammad remembers feeling “very lucky and very grateful to be safe. But also very sad, alone, and uncertain about what to do next.” They were settled in Winnipeg–a city they had never even heard of–where they were greeted by staff from [Local Settlement Services Agency]. “Their friendly faces meant everything,” Fatima tears up, remembering. “When you arrive in a new place where you know nobody and nothing, people smiling and offering to help make you feel that, okay, maybe everything will be okay.”

As with all new arrivals, [Local Settlement Services Agency] helped Muhammad, Fatima, and their boys settle into their new apartment and learn the basics of life in Canada. The couple enrolled their boys in school and in hockey and slowly got to know their neighbours. They already spoke English, so Muhammad was quickly able to get a job as a taxi driver and Fatima went to work at Tim Hortons. And as the shock of the change slowly wore off and as they began to feel comfortable in their new surroundings, Muhammad and Fatima began looking toward the future–and the [Local Settlement Services Agency]’s Newcomer Entrepreneurship program.

“Canada is a beautiful country! We are very lucky to be here, so my wife and I decided that we wanted to help other people come here too,” Muhammad explains. “We wanted to help everyone, not just people from Afghanistan and the Middle East, but from other countries too.” The couple decided that they wanted to launch their own business as immigration consultants, but they needed help.

As any entrepreneur knows, starting a business is a complicated and often difficult endeavour. There are typically strings of rules and regulations that need to be followed, plus the complexities of learning how to manage and market a business. These challenges are magnified for newcomers who are unfamiliar with typical Canadian business practices. And yet . . . the desire to become entrepreneurs is common among newcomers, with many wanting to contribute to the new country that welcomed them in.

The [Local Settlement Services Agency]’s Newcomer Entrepreneurship program seeks to fill this gap. Newcomers who are interested in starting their own businesses are each paired with a business consultant who helps them assess the fiscal viability of their business idea, helps them assess the potential market demand for that type of business, guides them in obtaining any necessary licenses and permits, helps them find a suitable location (if applicable), and advises them on how to manage their business day-to-day. Through various community partnerships, classes are also available on specific topics like accounting, HR, and marketing. All of this is provided cost-free.

As Fatima and Muhammad celebrate the one-year anniversary of their immigration consultancy, Fatima smiles as she recalls their business’ early days. “We knew nothing about running a business in Canada,” she says. “If it wasn’t for the wonderful people at [Local Settlement Services Agency], then we never would’ve been able to do it. They showed us the path, you know? They guided us through everything–the process, the daily management, the marketing–so that we could succeed.”

While the majority of Muhammad and Fatima’s clients originate from Afghanistan and the Middle East, the couple has also helped clients from other areas of the world, including Asia and Europe. The couple are busy with happy clients every day and their mailbox is currently full of cards and letters congratulating them on their one-year business anniversary. “So many of them say that we made their dreams come true,” Fatima says. “I say, we couldn’t have made their dreams come true if [Local Settlement Services Agency] hadn’t make our dreams come true. So, thank you! Thank you very much!”