Ammar Bowaihl

My thesis project is inspired by my sister Huda Whom  I noticed repeatedly shared with me the sentence “I wish I was born here” when she felt frustrated and compared herself with someone born in Canada. Refugees and immigrants like everyone, have the ambition and vision for their future. However, most of them find themselves stuck in advancing their Education, seeking better job opportunities and improving their living conditions. My thesis project is about confronting the reality of refugees/immigrants that find it difficult to make progress and face the feelings of being behind in life. Unfortunately, at some point, many people from Thorncliffe Park including myself found the statement “I wish I was born here” accurate in representing what we are feeling without considering who we are and the values we cherish.

Ammar Bowaihl is a Yemeni, Saudi born, Toronto-based documentary photographer focusing on the human condition and topics of immigration and relocation. Since high school, the camera has been his preferred method of capturing the details of life in the city. His experiences living in the middle east and establishing himself in Canada has propelled him to explore Toronto’s diverse communities and give a voice to many stories often unheard.