Starfish Reunites is a small group of individuals in Chester, Nova Scotia who have chosen to work together to reunite the Alouchs, a Syrian family separated by war and geography.  Starfish Reunites is the new arm of the Starfish Refugee Project which has successfully brought and supported 21 individuals to their new lives in Canada.

The Starfish Refugee Project started approximately six years ago as news of atrocities occurring in Syria were trickling to Canada and in particular, to the South Shore of Nova Scotia.  A group of concerned citizens began to speak with each other. There must be a way to help our neighbours from Syria, they concluded. But there were so many people affected, so many tragedies, how could we possibly do enough to be worthwhile?

Rather than be defeated by the enormous task in front of them, the group took inspiration from the story of a boy on a beach where thousands and thousands of starfish had been stranded. The small boy was picking up one starfish at a time and carrying it to throw it gently into the water.  A man who observed this said, "Why are you bothering to do this?  You will never save them all.  Even working every hour of the day, your efforts will not make a difference."  The boy replied as he threw one more, " But it WILL make a difference to this one."

Hence, the name Starfish Refugee Project.  The original plan was to sponsor and support two families. Since the arrival in Canada of those two families, the Starfish group have been quietly working behind the scenes.  The members have been teaching the family members English, arranging transportation, accompanying individuals to appointments, and a multitude of other tasks and activities to orientate the 21 individuals who so far have benefitted from the Starfish Refugee Project.