Announcement
Photo: Photo: Mary Cory
Until last year, Line had spent almost her entire life in a refugee camp.
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, her family fled when she was just one year old. They made their way East and reached Nyarugusu camp in Tanzania, now one of the world’s oldest and largest refugee camps. For the next 19 years, that is where Line, her two sisters and her brother grew up.
Then, nearly two decades after they arrived at Nyarugusu, everything changed. The family was finally resettled to the United States and Line and her parents, siblings, and grandmother arrived in San Diego in November 2015. Line was pregnant when they made the journey, and in December of that year she gave birth to a daughter.
Typical of her confident, outgoing personality, Line enrolled in the IRC in San Diego’s Vocational English as a Second Language (VESL) program just 4 months after arriving in the U.S., and with a new baby at home. With her father unable to work due to a health condition, she was eager to improve her English and get a job to help support her family.
She arrived to class each day upbeat and ready to work, not only on her own lessons, but also helping other students in her class. Growing up in Nyarugusu camp, Line had the opportunity to go to school which gave her an advantage and in fact, English is her fifth language after four others including Swahili and French.
The VESL program is designed to provide intensive training not only to bring students’ English skills up to the level necessary for employment, but also to provide training on all aspects of working in the U.S., including employer expectations, public transportation, financial and computer literacy, and more. Students go on field trips to learn bus routes and visit grocery stores, and spend time working on resumes and interview skills.
Just four weeks after beginning the class, Line got an interview for a housekeeping position at a local resort. She spent days with her teachers and employment specialist preparing for her interview, and her practice paid off – she got the job!
Line visits classBefore her first day, IRC staff helped Line prepare, taking her to Walmart to get the appropriate shirt, pants and shoes and accompanying her on a sample bus/trolley ride to make sure she knew the right public transportation routes to take. Finally, an Employment Specialist attended her on-the-job orientation with her to make sure her first day went smoothly.
Recently, Line stopped by class on her day off to visit her teachers and fellow students, and to proudly show off her first paycheck. She was able to show her classmates how working full time allowed her to provide income for her family and her mother is able to earn a small amount each month as well caring for Line’s daughter.
For some, life as a refugee begins with giving up everything – homes, careers, and plans for the future. For others like Line, it is the only life they have ever known. Now for the first time, Line has a secure home and the ability to choose where her future will take her. We have no doubt that this bright young woman will succeed at whatever she puts her mind to. For now, she hopes to further improve her English, get her GED, and continue to contribute to the success of her family in their new home.