60 Miles

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Jim Estill has personally enabled More Than 300 Syrians to begin a new life in Canada,

The BBC, the weekly-in-chief-series-profiles of various executives from all over The World . This Week we talk with Jim Estill , a canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist.

As Jim Estill , The Horrors of the Syrian citizens saw war on TV, he decided he would Do Something to help.

A successful Canadian business man, he swore, in order to allow Syrian refugees into Canada to settle down, simply because "it was The Right thing to do".

That was then, in the year 2015, and although the Canadian government was in The Process of the establishment of an official regulation, in the people from Syria on the run, Jim was frustrated by all the delays.

"I could see that The Crisis is happening In Syria , and I don't think [Western] governments, things quickly enough," says the 62-year-Old .

Jim worked hard for it, the Syrians found work, including the employment of 28 in his own company

So Jim decided he would take matters into his own hands, he would have to spend 1. 5m Canadian dollars ($1. 1m; £910,000) of his own money to bring Syrian refugees from the Middle East in his hometown of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, about 60 Miles (95 km) West of Toronto.

He was able to do this, thanks to a Canadian scheme as the Private sponsorship of refugees program. Introduced 41 years ago, with the help originally of the people of the consequences of the Vietnam War , Private Citizens are allowed welcome and settle refugees in Canada. The Catch is, to require you, cover the cost of the new arrivals for The First year.

So Jim paid for The First 50 Syrian Families to relocate to Guelph (population 135,000). Put a few in his own house, he also collected Church groups and 800 volunteers in the whole city, and worked closely with The Local Islamic society.

people available guests are provided with room, or helped you find empty apartments, and The Salvation army took The Lead in collecting dress donations to help to keep The Refugees warm, while in Canada the Winter cold. In the meantime, Jim, for each Syrian family access to both English and Arabic mentors, have arranged so you could enrolled their children in schools, start looking for a Job, get bank accounts and so on.

He was also 28 refugees full-time work at The Company , which he owns and operates the Canadian household appliances company Danby. This CA $ 400 million annual turnover company has its headquarters in Guelph. For other Syrians, Jim, provided the financial guarantees, which enable them to Set Up shops in The City and start other ventures.

Jim now has a sponsor helped 89 Syrian Families - More Than 300 people. "It comes to the handling of these Good People , and help you through a Hard Time ," he says.

Ahmad Abed, a Syrian who now lives in Guelph, fled his homeland in 2016, after he was hit by shrapnel from a bomb attack in The City of Homs. "Many thanks to Mr. Estill, and the scholarship program, Guelph is my new home," he says. "My wife has even started a socks Shop in The City centre. "

Jim says he has started to work very stirred by The Refugees " experiences

Back in 1980, Jim in the computer industry after graduating from the Ontario, the University of Waterloo with a degree in engineering. But instead of going the corporate route, he started down that by re-selling computers from the trunk of his car.

The Business - EMJ data systems rose steadily in the course of the next 24 years, before they bought in 2004 by the American IT company Synnex for $56 million. Jim remained to lead, Synnex, the Canadian division for the next five years.

He also made time, as the founder and CEO of Research in Motion, the Canadian company behind the Blackberry phone, and he had a variety of other investments. In 2009, he decided To Retire from Synnex, but maintained A Number of leadership positions elsewhere, including a Director's position in Danby.

Additional features:

In 2015, Jim is the chief executive of Danby was made, and bought The Company from the parent group two years later for an undisclosed sum. Danby makes everything from washing machines to refrigerators and dishwashers, air conditioners.

"What I'm doing, as chief executive of the construction systems and processes, and I did the same with The Refugees ," says Jim. "It's not like with the Danby - I have to do this, the devices will sell or keep [self], but I stage, how it all can work well, and I do what I can to help others, get your work done. "

Jim was given Canada's highest honour earlier this year,

For his work in support of refugees, in March of this year Jim was awarded The Order of Canada, the country's second-highest honor. Canada's Governor General, Julie Payette , who said Queen Elizabeth Ii ., representing that he had shown "outstanding achievements, commitment to community and service to The Nation ".

Guelph mayor Cam Guthrie told the BBC that Jim is a "down-to-earth, quiet, humble leader". He adds: "I can tell he cares about the people he employs, and the community it is in.

"And by More people from outside of Canada in Guelph, Jim has people step outside of your comfort zone, and open your eyes to see what is happening in The World outside of your own town. "

Jim owned and has says, Danby, one of Canada's largest retailers in The Past two years,

Jim, that the stories he has heard from the Syrian refugees to stay with him for a long time. "Stories of people home to destroyed houses, to talk to people, to your brother on The Phone then goes dead, and the brother was killed.

"These Families just want to be happy, like Everyone Else . They want to a future without fear and violence. And we should be warmly welcomed, since 99. 9% of canadian immigrants, in a way, are also. "

refugees and asylum seekers, syria, entrepreneurship, syrian civil war, canada, syrian refugees

Source of news: bbc.com