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Activity Report Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026 Location: La Cité – Ottawa, Ontario Organizer: RAFIO Target Audience: Youth from Grades 7 to 12 Introduction On Thursday, June 25, 2026, RAFIO youth from Grades 7 through 12 participated in an educational visit to La Cité as part of an activity designed to introduce them to post-secondary education opportunities. The purpose of the visit was to encourage young people to pursue their education in French, introduce them to the wide

Activity Report Date: Friday, June 19, 2026 Location: RAFIO Offices – 235 Montreal Road, Unit 203, Vanier, Ontario K1L 6C7 Project: Spaces of Expression Theme: Expressing Emotions Through Drawing Introduction On Friday, June 19, 2026, as part of the Spaces of Expression project, RAFIO organized an art therapy activity focused on expressing emotions through drawing. The purpose of this activity was to provide young people with a safe, supportive, and judgment-free environment

Activity Report Date: Thursday, June 11, 2026 Location: RAFIO Offices – 235 Montreal Road, Unit 203, Vanier, Ontario K1L 6C7 Project: Spaces of Expression Theme: Participatory Art Therapy and Youth Expression Introduction On Thursday, June 11, 2026, as part of the Spaces of Expression project, RAFIO organized a participatory art therapy activity designed to provide young people with a safe, inclusive, and judgment-free environment where they could explore mental health throug

Event Report Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Organizer: RAFIO Project: Growing Older Together: Breaking Isolation and Building Connections Funding: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) – New Horizons for Seniors Program Introduction On Saturday, May 30, 2026, RAFIO officially launched its project, “Growing Older Together: Breaking Isolation and Building Connections,” dedicated to supporting seniors in the community. This warm, welcoming, and.

Event Report Date: Friday, June 5, 2026 Location: RAFIO Offices – 235 Montréal Road, Unit 203, Vanier, ON K1L 6C7 Theme: Communicating with Parents and Asking for Help Overview of the Activity On Friday, June 5, 2026, RAFIO organized a youth workshop focused on improving communication with parents and encouraging young people to seek help when needed. The objective of the session was to strengthen participants’ communication skills, emotional expression, and confidence in dis

Event Report Date of activity: Saturday, August 30, 2025 Location: Calypso Water Park Organized by: RAFIO 1. Context and Objectives of the Activity As part of its mission to promote integration, well-being, and personal development among youth, RAFIO organized a recreational outing to Calypso Water Park on Saturday, August 30, 2025. The main objectives of this activity were to: Provide young participants with a day of relaxation and entertainment Strengthen social bonds and t

Event Report Date: Friday, May 23, 2026 Location: RAFIO offices – 235 Montréal Road, Ottawa Theme: Understanding and managing anxiety Overview of the Activity On Friday, May 23, 2026, RAFIO organized a youth workshop focused on understanding and managing anxiety. The goal of the session was to help young participants better understand the causes and effects of anxiety while introducing practical tools to manage stress in daily life. The workshop took place in a warm, engaging

Event Report Date: November 2, 2024 Location: Cooperation Integration Canada (CICAN) – 404 McArthur Avenue, Suite 209, Ottawa, ON K1K 1G8 Theme: Awareness on family violence and domestic violence Target audience: Community members, social workers, and health professionals Introduction The event organized by CICAN aimed to raise awareness within the community about issues related to family and domestic violence. It sought to inform participants about warning signs, psychologic

Event Report Date: June 25, 2024 Locations: 310 Olmstead Street & 235 Montréal Road Theme: “Self-care as a single mother” Partner: SFC Ottawa Introduction On June 25, 2024, RAFIO organized a workshop titled “Self-care as a single mother” in partnership with SFC Ottawa. The event aimed to provide a safe space for reflection and sharing on the importance of personal well-being for single mothers. Workshop Overview The workshop brought together a group of single mothers in a war

Event Report Date: June 25, 2023 Location: 303 Kendall Avenue, Ottawa Theme: Understanding the link between mental health and financial health to strengthen well-being Key Concepts Mental health refers to a person’s overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It includes how we think, feel, and behave, as well as our ability to cope with stress, manage emotions, build healthy relationships, and make decisions. Good mental health is reflected in positive self-este

RAFIO presents the interview conducted within the organization ABEPOG (Association of Black Entrepreneurs and Professionals of Ottawa and Gatineau). As part of the “Résilience” project, our Executive Director, Antoinette Irarera, was invited to participate in this meaningful initiative, and we are pleased to share it with you. For the full interview, please click the link below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xv44CCKYp1A

Event Report Date: July 16, 2024 Location: 310 Olmstead Street Organizer: RAFIO (Active Resilience of Immigrant Families in Ontario) Target Groups: Single-parent families, youth, seniors Introduction On July 16, 2024, RAFIO organized a consultation and exchange event bringing together members from three key groups: single-parent families, youth, and seniors. The main objective was to identify the emerging needs of these specific groups and develop appropriate response strateg

Event Report: Date: July 26, 2024 Location: 310 Olmstead Street Theme: “Strategic Planning” (Funded by TROPICANA) Partner: SFC Ottawa Introduction On July 26, 2024, RAFIO organized a key strategic planning event aimed at improving its interventions for the groups it serves. The event took place at the offices of SFC Ottawa (our partner) and brought together various participants to discuss and develop a strategic plan focused on service improvement and overall governance withi

Event Report: Date: August 26, 2023 Location: 303 Kendall Avenue, Ottawa Theme: Aging in Canada: How to Manage and Succeed in Your Social Life Introduction This report aims to outline the success of the event titled “Aging in Canada: How to Manage and Succeed in Your Social Life”, which took place on August 26, 2023, with a group of seniors. The main objective of this event was to explore strategies for maintaining a fulfilling social life while highlighting activities that p

Event Date: October 29, 2023 Location: 303 Kendall Avenue, Ottawa Hosting Organizations: CICAN (Cooperation Integration Canada) and RAFIO (Active Resilience of Immigrant Families in Ontario) Introduction The event titled “The Role of Seniors in Managing Their Mental Health” was organized by CICAN in collaboration with local partners. The objective of this event was to raise awareness within the community about the importance of seniors’ mental health and to highlight the acti

Event Report Date of the event: June 15, 2024 Location: 303 Kendall Ave Participants: Twenty immigrant seniors Main facilitators: Apollinaire Yengayenge, staff member at Collège La Cité Prosper Munezero, financial expert Partner: Desjardins Introduction On June 15, 2024, RAFIO organized an event focused on financial health and family conflict management among immigrant seniors. In partnership with Desjardins, the event aimed to strengthen participants’ skills in these essenti

Workshop Report Date and Time: September 11, 2024, 5:00 PM Location: Service Familial et Counseling Ottawa Facilitator: Reginald Alexis Target Audience: Seniors from the Burundian community Introduction This workshop was organized to raise awareness among Burundian community seniors about mental health and to provide them with tools to identify factors that may affect it. The session is part of a broader approach to support and prevention in mental health for older adults. Wo

Workshop Report Date and Time: September 18, 2024, 5:00 PM Location: Service Familial et Counseling Ottawa Facilitator: Reginald Alexis Target Audience: Seniors from the Burundian community Introduction This workshop was the second in a series organized to raise awareness among Burundian community seniors about mental health. The main objective of this session was to develop strategies to improve the mental well-being of immigrant seniors, taking into account the specific cha

Workshop Report Date and Time: October 2, 2024, at 5:00 PM Location: Service Familial et Counseling Ottawa Facilitator: Reginald Alexis Target Audience: Seniors from the Burundian community Introduction This workshop, the third in a series dedicated to the mental health of immigrant seniors, aimed to explore strategies to improve the mental well-being of older immigrants, particularly by reducing isolation and better managing stress. Workshop Overview The session began with a

Event Report Date and Time: August 20, 2024, 1:00 PM Location: Ottawa Inn Hotel Parking Lot Organizer: Vanier Community Centre Event Description The Vanier Community Centre organized a community BBQ in the parking lot of the Ottawa Inn Hotel. The event aimed to bring together community members and encourage meaningful interactions with the various organizations that serve them. Among these organizations, RAFIO was present to share its services and initiatives. Participants Lo