Heroes In Disguise:
Meet Hasmatullah: From Refugee to Community Champion
Hasmatullah’s journey is a testament to extraordinary resilience and the quiet strength of the human spirit. At just 14 years old, he risked everything to escape peril in Myanmar, enduring a gruelling 21-day sea voyage to Indonesia alongside 129 others on a boat where lack of food and water claimed 9 lives before reaching shore. His survival was met with four months in detention, followed by 12 long years in a UNHCR facility, a time defined by waiting, where work was forbidden, and opportunities to build skills were scarce. Yet, his story shifted when he arrived in Canada through the Resettlement Assistance Program (RAP). Welcomed to Moncton by the Multicultural Association of Greater Moncton Area (MAGMA), Hasmatullah threw himself into learning English, progressing so remarkably that he was first hired as a Rohingya-English interpreter. Driven by a deep empathy and a kind, ever-available spirit to support fellow newcomers, he continuously built his skills until MAGMA proudly welcomed him as a full-time Settlement Counsellor. Today, Hasmatullah stands as a pillar of hope and dedication, a key driving force behind building the largest Rohingya community in the Atlantic region.
Service Delivery Highlights
MAGMA provided a range of settlement and employment services to clients during the reporting period. A total of 263 clientsreceived 915 Case Management services (Complex Cases), while 363 clients benefited from 421 Needs and Assets Assessments and Referrals. In the area of employment support, 171 clients accessed 278 Employment-Related Services. Additionally, 337 clients received 385 Information and Orientation Services, helping newcomers access essential resources and navigate life in their new community.
Settlement Services – September 2026
