Mary Garang is currently living in a Kenyan refugee camp, but her son William hopes she will soon be able to live with his family in Medicine Hat.--SUBMITTED PHOTO MHART
kking@medicinehatnews.com
After five months of fundraising, the Medicine Hat and Area Refugee Team have raised $75,000 of the $90,000 needed to sponsor a family of Sudanese refugees with ties to Medicine Hat.
Efforts to bring local William Garang’s six family members to Medicine Hat began in September of 2021. Garang’s family, which includes his mother, one niece and four nephews, are currently living in a refugee camp in Kenya, having been forced out of their home in South Sudan following the civil war.
As MHART nears the fundraising goal, team members wish to shine a light on Garang’s elderly mother Mary, who is looking forward to one day reuniting with her son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren, the youngest of whom she’s not yet met.
MHART thanks the community for the generous donations provided up until this point and hopes community members will continue to support the fundraising effort as it nears its total goal. MHART invites anyone interested in supporting to take part in the Loonies for Lent campaign, during which participants will set aside a loonie each day from March 2 to April 14.
Donations can also be made directly to MHART through St. John’s Presbyterian Church’s website. Any donation which exceeds $25 is eligible for a charitable tax receipt.
