In the past two years, Canada has welcomed over 45,000 refugees.  While many have arrived through government agencies, thousands have been welcomed through private sponsorship- a program that is uniquely Canadian and and one that has quickly become an inspiration around the world.  In Canada’s private sponsorship model, groups of Canadians band together to truly make a difference. They help overseas refugees make their way to Canada and help them adjust to a new life in a new land.  Private sponsorship is about people helping people across cultures and around the globe. 

Bridging Borders is an observational documentary TV series by Wavelength Entertainment that showcases the inspirational stories that arise from this uniquely Canadian initiative. The series begins by following the dedicated staff of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Saskatoon, a faith-based organization that helps facilitate private sponsorships.  The MCC provides guidance and connects willing sponsors with overseas refugees.  In each episode, we meet a different group of Canadians who have come together and approached the MCC, hoping to make a difference. We follow their own journey, one that involves organizing, fundraising, and finding a suitable home for the sponsored family to live in.  We follow their initial meeting at the airport when the refugees finally land in Canada, an anxious and emotional day for everyone involved. We learn of the newcomers' own history and journey. In the days and weeks that follow, their sponsors try to meet their needs and show them the basics of life in Canada. It can be a challenging and rewarding time. Private sponsors are responsible for helping the former refugees adjust and gain independence by the end of their first year in Canada. Most often, it becomes a deep cross-cultural relationship that lasts much longer than that. 

Each episode of Bridging Borders highlights a different group of sponsors and refugees brought together with the help of the MCC.  The series itself aims to make a difference by going beyond the news headlines of the refugee crisis to inspire, educate, and entertain, while at the same time showcasing and spreading the word about Canada's life-changing refugee sponsorship program that has become a role model around the globe.

12 X 1/2 HR