As populations around the world adjust to a new reality shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, across Latin America an estimated 113 million people living in low-income neighbourhoods are struggling to make ends meet with the ongoing lockdown and social isolation procedures (Phillips et al., 2020). In addition to the looming threat of infection, more impoverished populations must contend with the day-to-day struggle of trying to stay afloat financially and the actual feasibility of practising social distancing. Among the most vulnerable populations are refugees and migrants, who are exposed to even more significant hardships as governments attempt to navigate the pandemic (UNHCR, 2020). The already precarious financial situations and housing of most refugees have worsened as host countries make efforts to provide supports and programs for their populations – initiatives which do not necessarily take into account the situations of most refugees. For Venezuelan refugees in particular, the threat to their safety, security, and futures has been further compounded in the course of the pandemic.
As populations around the world adjust to a new reality shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic, across Latin America an estimated 113 million people living in low-income neighbourhoods are struggling to make ends meet with the ongoing lockdown and social isolation procedures (Phillips et al., 2020). In addition to the looming threat of infection, more impoverished populations must contend with the day-to-day struggle of trying to stay afloat financially and the actual feasibility of practising social distancing. Among the most vulnerable populations are refugees and migrants, who are exposed to even more significant hardships as governments attempt to navigate the pandemic (UNHCR, 2020). The already precarious financial situations and housing of most refugees have worsened as host countries make efforts to provide supports and programs for their populations – initiatives which do not necessarily take into account the situations of most refugees. For Venezuelan refugees in particular, the threat to their safety, security, and futures has been further compounded in the course of the pandemic.
This narrative qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Salvadoran refugees who came to Canada after fleeing the civil war in El Salvador. The research aimed to examine the experience of Salvadoran refugees who arrived between 1980 and 1992. During this period, the Canadian government enacted special measures which allowed for Salvadorans to seek refuge in Canada. The experiences shared by participants explored their experience with the traumas of war, migration and eventual settlement in Toronto. The theoretical framework drew on the coloniality of power and structuration theory. These experiences were considered within a broader context of what it meant to be a Salvadoran refugee in Toronto, both in ongoing connections to their country of origin and their country of settlement over thirty years later. The narratives of the participants provide insights into the complex negotiations into the experiences of refugees forced to flee and reorient themselves in a new society. Key words: Salvadoran, refugees, experiences, civil war, identity, Latinx, Toronto
This narrative qualitative study explored the lived experiences of Salvadoran refugees who came to Canada after fleeing the civil war in El Salvador. The research aimed to examine the experience of Salvadoran refugees who arrived between 1980 and 1992. During this period, the Canadian government enacted special measures which allowed for Salvadorans to seek refuge in Canada. The experiences shared by participants explored their experience with the traumas of war, migration and eventual settlement in Toronto. The theoretical framework drew on the coloniality of power and structuration theory. These experiences were considered within a broader context of what it meant to be a Salvadoran refugee in Toronto, both in ongoing connections to their country of origin and their country of settlement over thirty years later. The narratives of the participants provide insights into the complex negotiations into the experiences of refugees forced to flee and reorient themselves in a new society. Key words: Salvadoran, refugees, experiences, civil war, identity, Latinx, Toronto
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