The Habesha Project Offers Syrian Students Fleeing War at Home a New Life in Mexico Agence France-Presse
go to original February 4, 2017

Syrian students fleeing war find home in Mexico amidst Trump ban (Reuters)

As US President Donald Trump curbs migrants' access to the United States, its southern neighbor Mexico is letting certain Syrian refugees settle there to rebuild their lives.

Several Syrian students fleeing their country's civil war are coming to finish their studies in Mexico under the public-private "Habesha" initiative.

"It was a choice between staying to fight for one of the sides, and leaving," said one of them, 28-year-old communications student Essa Hasan. "I want no part in that war because taking part means killing, and I don't want to kill anybody."

Already brought over from the war-torn city of Aleppo, he came out Thursday to welcome the latest fellow Syrian arriving in Mexico under the program: 26-year-old art student Samah Abdulhamid.

She was surprised to be greeted by crowds of reporters on her arrival. "I really appreciate this whole initiative," she said.

The Habesha Project started three years ago but has drawn renewed interest since Trump last week restricted entry to the United States for immigrants from Syria and other volatile Muslim countries.

Project spokesman Luis Samano said organizers aimed to welcome 30 students overall to save them from Syria's "humanitarian catastrophe."

Read the rest at Channel NewsAsia

Related: Mexico Braces for Possible Student Deportations (Union-Tribune)

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