Yukon College students, staff raise $20K for Syrian refugee

After livinghis entire life as a refugee, a 24-year-old from Syria says he has high hopes for his future because of the kindness ofstudents andstaff at a college in Whitehorse.

Yukon College students and staff raised $20,000 in cash and in-kind donations to help support TareefJaamour's first year in Canada.

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They want him to have fewer worries, because life for Jaamourhasn't always been that way.

Jaamour'sfather was forced to flee Syria in the1980sand after a brief stay in Dubai, moved his family to Jordan where they lived peacefully for 20 years.

But things changed when the Syrian civil war began in 2011.

"Syrians are no longer welcome in Jordan," saidJaamour. "It does not matter that I have lived there all my life.

"Businesses can no longer hireSyrians. The justice system does not protect Syrians if the accusation is made by a Jordanian," he added.

So Jaamour lookedelsewhere.

'Already feels like... home'

Last year, heapplied to theWorld University Service Canadarefugee program,whichprovides young refugees resources and access to post-secondary education at Canadian universities andcolleges.

Jaamourhasa degree in civil engineering from the University of Jordan, but was unable to find work in Jordan after graduation.

Now, Jaamourplans to study business administration at Yukon College.

"I do not feel like a second-class citizen in Canada," Jaamour said.

"Everyone is very friendly. It already feels like more of a home than Jordan."