After two years of organizing and fundraising, a refugee family from Burundi is now calling Saskatoon home.
Most of the family has been in Saskatoon since last week, but one family member was left behind because there wasn't enough room on the departing flight from Rwanda.
The remaining family member arrived last night at the Saskatoon airport, which completes the family's move.
The family was brought over with the help of St. Matthew School.
The school raised $30,000 over two years to bring the family to Saskatoon.
They fundraised by holding events such as a bake sale, talent show, fun night and a cabaret featuring Saskatoon’s The Barrelmen.
Members of the community also chipped in with donations of money and household items.
Several months of planning went into the fundraising campaign, which launched in February 2016.
Krista Schreiter is a co-chair of the fundraising committee, along with Danielle Schock.
“Support from the whole community has been amazing," said Schreiter in a news release. "It’s been a great experience for our students and families to see that we can make a real difference in the lives of others.”
The campaign is part of a partnership with the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon in an effort to privately sponsor refugee families.
The family is among nearly a quarter-million refugees who fled the eastern African country because of a civil war that lasted over 10 years.
