My name is Nour Enayeh, I'm a Syrian Francophone, I've lived in Vancouver since 2005, and I'm an interior designer. My two children, Iman in Grade 6 and Youssef in kindergarten, go to l’école Rose-des-vents.

 

What I do for the school community: I've been President of the parents' association (APÉ) of l’école Rose-des-vents since September 2015. My vision is to create a sense of community within our school by replacing individual fundraising activities with the types of fundraising activities and social events that bring families together.

 

This allows our children to enjoy time with their family and with their friends of all ages in French, while we are at the same time fundraising for our various projects. For example, our Christmas Market this year welcomed not only families from Rose-des-vents, but also local merchants: artists, craftspeople, pastry chefs... and even a Santa Claus! At our Spring Fair, the book sale was a success with both children and parents. We hope that these events become a tradition that brings together not only our school community, but the entire Vancouver Francophone community.

 

In addition to being a mum committed to the children of Rose-des-vents, I also volunteer for the Social Justice Program, founded and managed by two fantastic teachers at our school. This program encourages children to develop projects that make a difference in their community.

 

Why I started: The former President of the APÉ, Dominique Robeyns, approached me at the end of the Evans Lake event organized annually by our parents' association. She convinced me to run in the election to succeed her. I wasn't just surprised but also flattered by the confidence she had in me, and I hope to continue the good work done by other parent volunteers to date.

 

What I love the most about our Francophone school:  The tireless involvement of the parent volunteers. I admire their efforts in contributing to a better education for the children. Their commitment and investment even led to winning their litigation in the Supreme Court of Canada. They've defended their children's right to a quality education that meets the same requirements as education in English in British Columbia.

 

A dream that I hold for my children:  I hope that they'll become responsible and happy citizens, and that they can realize their own dreams. 

 

An achievement of which I am proud: The work that I've had the chance to do with the Syrian refugees who arrived in Vancouver, and the small difference that I've made in their lives that are already so difficult...