Cuban Refugee Finds New Beginning in Steinbach With Support From Local Community

A Cuban refugee claimant who unexpectedly arrived in Steinbach, Manitoba, without family, friends or local support has found a permanent place to live after receiving assistance from community organizations that helped him navigate an unfamiliar city and Canadian systems.

Lazaro Emiliano Recio Navarro had previously been living in Ontario before attempting to enter the United States to join people he knew there. When he was unable to cross the border, he eventually made his way to Steinbach, a southeastern Manitoba community where he knew no one and spoke only Spanish.

His sudden arrival left him facing several immediate challenges, including finding somewhere to sleep, accessing money, obtaining food and understanding the services available to newcomers. His situation changed after he connected with Steinbach Community Outreach and Eastman Immigrant Services.

Recio Navarro initially stayed at Today House, an emergency shelter operated by Steinbach Community Outreach. The facility normally provides temporary accommodation for people in urgent need, but local organizations worked together to ensure he had additional support while a more permanent solution was found.

Eastman Immigrant Services became an important part of that process. Settlement workers helped him navigate several unfamiliar systems, including housing, banking, food assistance and employment support.

Sarah Simbi Nakure, a settlement facilitator with Eastman Immigrant Services, said the progress was visible as Recio Navarro began receiving help with each challenge he faced.

For someone arriving in a new community without English language skills, even basic tasks can become difficult. Recio Navarro’s situation was further complicated because he had lost his bank card and needed assistance accessing his money.

Magali Escareno, an administrative assistant with Eastman Immigrant Services who speaks Spanish, played an important role by communicating with him in his own language. Her involvement helped remove one of the biggest barriers facing the newcomer and allowed him to better understand the services being offered.

Escareno said Recio Navarro was surprised by the level of assistance he received after arriving in Steinbach. According to her, he had travelled through other parts of Canada but had not previously experienced the same level of direct support.

The organizations also helped him secure permanent housing, allowing him to move beyond the uncertainty of emergency accommodation and begin establishing a more stable life in the community.

Recio Navarro has expressed appreciation for the welcome he has received in Steinbach. Despite arriving under difficult circumstances, he now says he feels comfortable walking around the community and believes people treat him with respect.

His experience also highlights the role that smaller communities can play in helping refugees and other newcomers establish themselves in Canada. While larger cities often have extensive settlement networks, communities such as Steinbach rely heavily on cooperation between local organizations, volunteers, churches and social service providers.

Simbi Nakure said helping newcomers is not simply about finding a place to stay. New arrivals often need assistance with employment, language learning, transportation, food, banking and understanding government programs.

She also connected Recio Navarro’s experience with her own settlement journey. After moving from Kenya to Canada in 1996, she experienced the difficulties that can come with language barriers and adapting to an unfamiliar environment.

Eastman Immigrant Services has assisted numerous refugee claimant families in the region. Over the past year, the organization has helped 11 families with refugee claimant status, providing support as they work through the challenges of establishing new lives.

Steinbach Community Outreach has also played an important role in supporting people facing immediate housing difficulties. Charlene Kroeker, the organization’s office manager, said newcomers sometimes arrive at the emergency shelter because they have nowhere else to turn.

The organization often contacts Eastman Immigrant Services when newcomers require specialized settlement assistance. The partnership allows organizations with different areas of expertise to work together rather than leaving vulnerable newcomers to navigate the system alone.

Kroeker said many newcomers who arrive at the organization’s doors are dealing with several problems at once. Housing shortages, unemployment, financial difficulties and language barriers can make it extremely difficult for people to become independent quickly.

Recio Navarro reportedly spent about a month connected with Today House while arrangements were made for more permanent accommodation.

When he first arrived, Kroeker said, he appeared overwhelmed by his circumstances. She now sees his progress toward independence as an example of what can happen when community organizations work together.

The assistance has not ended with housing. Local organizations have continued helping him access other community resources, including food assistance when necessary.

Eastman Immigrant Services has also connected Recio Navarro with a Spanish-speaking church in the area. The connection is expected to give him an opportunity to build relationships within the community while also taking English classes.

Learning English is now one of his priorities. He hopes that improving his language skills will make it easier to find employment and become more independent.

He also has longer-term family goals. Recio Navarro hopes eventually to bring his wife and two adult children to Canada, although that process will depend on immigration requirements and his family’s circumstances.

His journey illustrates the uncertainty many refugees and refugee claimants can experience after arriving in a new country. Some arrive with established support networks, while others can suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar communities without knowledge of local services or even the language needed to ask for help.

In Recio Navarro’s case, a difficult and unexpected journey ultimately brought him to a community where several organizations were prepared to help.

For him, the most significant change has been moving from uncertainty to stability. He now has permanent housing, access to community support and plans for learning English and finding work.

His experience also demonstrates how relatively small acts of assistance can have a significant impact on someone facing a crisis. A place to sleep, help replacing a bank card, assistance finding housing and communication in a familiar language collectively provided the foundation he needed to begin rebuilding his life.

As Steinbach continues to welcome newcomers, the collaboration between community organizations demonstrates the importance of coordinated settlement services. For Recio Navarro, the city has become more than an unexpected stop after an unsuccessful attempt to enter the United States. It has become a place where he says he feels respected, supported and hopeful about the future.

Courtesy: CBC