From Asylum Seeker to Bakery Assistant in Canada

Stela Akhtar, 39, ran a small import and export business in Faisalabad, Pakistan, since 2005. Tragedy struck when her house was robbed in September 2012. The thieves took her money, jewellery, laptop, USBs and mobiles. The police refused to lodge a complaint.

When Stela went to her office the next day, she found a letter from Lashkar-e-Taiyba (a militant Islamic group) stating: Arrange for a payment of one million rupees within ten days, or we will kidnap your nephew Saleem. The threatening calls continued, even after shifting to Gujranwala and Karachi.

Their only option was for both to flee to Bangkok on 7 December 2012 to seek asylum at the UNHCR Office. She learned of Fr. Arnold Heredia in Bangkok and asked if he could find a sponsor in Canada. In 2017, Fr Mark Millar of St Joseph Church, Grand Prairie, Alberta, agreed to sponsor them.

When interviewed by the Canadian Immigration Officer, Stela was put off by his uncouth behaviour. Fr Millar took the matter to court. Fr Arnold prepared her brief. Stela won the case and she and Saleem arrived in Canada in February 2022.

The parish provided them with a furnished house and assisted them in adjusting to Canada and becoming part of the parish. Stela took a language course and did basic training to gain Canadian experience. She applied for jobs online, to no avail. She then dropped her CV in every shop and enterprise in her vicinity. She works as a bakery assistant in Real Canadian Super Store since 2022 and hopes to become a manager by next year.