When Sasha Chanoff, the founder of RefugePoint, reached out to the Fire’s ownership about hosting a family at Saturday’s Fire game that seemed like the least we could do.
The Lokango family, a Congolese refugee family (whose lives RefugePoint saved) are new arrivals in Chicago. Prior to Chicago, they were living as refugees in Kenya for a number of years. Not only did they suffer unspeakably before escaping the Congo, but the 13-year-old, Emile, was shot in the leg in Nairobi because they were living in a dangerous area where refugees had become targets.
RefugePoint’s Cheryl Hamilton, who escorted the family to Toyota Park, had met them a few months ago in Nairobi and worked with RefugePoint to get them out as soon as possible. They are overjoyed and overwhelmed with relief to finally be in Chicago and safe.
Sasha and Cheryl knew Chicago Fire owner Andrew Hauptman and had worked with the Hauptman family as they had hosted a fundraiser for RefugePoint in the past. Additionally, in 2010, RefugePoint's effort in protecting the world’s most vulnerable refugees was awarded with the prestigious Charles Bronfman Prize (one of whose founders is Andrew Hauptman). As the boys also love soccer, Cheryl knew that it would be a warm Chicago welcome for them to come and experience a Chicago Fire game. They were seen cheering on the Fire and high-fiving other supporters after Mike Magee’s magical penalty kick.
In the end, it was an honor to host the family and for them to be recognized on field during Saturday’s game against Toronto. Their story touched everyone who met them at Toyota Park on Saturday, and they definitely brought the Men in Red good luck as well.
For more on RefugePoint and the hundreds of families they help (including the Lokango’s) visit http://www.refugepoint.org/.
