Victor Lal, 28: putting creativity at the service of refugees
“It isn’t easy arriving in Canada as an immigrant,” Victor Lal confides. At 28, this Toronto native has chosen to devote his life to others. In 2022, he founded Haven Refugees, an NGO that helps refugees. Now based at Montréal CoWork, he shares why he wants to put his creativity at the service of displaced people.
“Often, families who have to leave their war-torn country don’t really have a choice,” Victor says without hesitation. In one of Montréal CoWork’s meeting rooms, he opens up about this sensitive, profound subject that he knows inside out.
Always smiling, laptop in hand, Victor radiates quiet energy and strength. Yet behind his youthful appearance lie impressive experience and surprising maturity. “I’m an old soul,” he confesses with a laugh.
A wholehearted commitment
He has long devoted his energy to displaced people, to those who need it most, and his commitment is no passing response to circumstances. In 2017, he cycled the 3,000 km between Toronto and St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, in one month. The following year, he swam 52 km across Lake Ontario to raise funds for Syrian refugees. When war broke out in Ukraine, Victor spent three months in Poland helping directly on the ground.
He draws this passion, which drives him to go so far and push his limits, from his family history—a past that would also guide his career choice. “My mother inspired me. She always had a strong interest in politics, international news, conflicts, wars, history and people who need help.”
And with good reason: his parents, originally from Poland, left the country separately in 1988 before meeting in transit in Spain and settling in Toronto. “They left because of the system and the lack of opportunities,” Victor sums up. The mass strikes of the time forced the ruling communist government to recognize that it could no longer govern alone without dialogue with the opposition.
While arriving in Canada offered a new beginning, the process they went through was an obstacle course. This family history would instil in Victor a sense of mission that he sums up in these words: “If we can, we must!”
“I started when I was a student, then worked as a consultant. After that, I decided to work for a large American NGO,” he says. It was the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The experience was formative, but incomplete, even disappointing: “Particularly in Canada, I didn’t see organizations creating truly relevant solutions. There’s a global system for refugees, but it doesn’t work well. So I wanted to invent another one.”
Haven Refugees: a safe haven
Those reflections and his personal journey gave rise to Haven Refugees in 2022. “The name is well chosen because it symbolizes a safe haven, a destination that conveys protection for refugees.”
Today, the NGO brings together people from diverse backgrounds and is seeking to expand its work in Quebec. Sponsorship and language classes are among the organization’s main services. Around 6,000 to 7,000 refugees are now registered on the platform.
Montréal CoWork: a second home
Living on the Plateau Mont-Royal since arriving in Quebec, Victor has found both an anchor and a safe haven at Montréal CoWork. “The impact on me is as much personal as professional. I was new to Montréal. Today, I have lots of friends. I’m very grateful to the team here,” he says with a smile.
The coworking space has also become a place to learn. “It’s an opportunity to practise my French. And I understand the importance of involving the French-speaking community in developing Haven Refugees in Quebec.”
Giving back to society
Today, Victor’s wish is simple: “I want to give back to society in my own way, so that other people, like my parents back then, can receive the help they need.”
Indeed, people often say that family stories resemble stories of travel, migration or immigration, because ultimately, we all come from somewhere.
Article credit: Hélène Lequitte