Our clients are resilient, impressive people. They come to us most often when they have a crisis and we get the privilege of walking alongside them through it, helping them navigate their way into brighter tomorrows. Atosha is a client like this.
Her entry point to Family Services of Greater Vancouver was through Minoo Javadi, one of our Community Kitchens facilitators. Minoo and her daughter Nicole were one of five sponsor families who helped bring Atosha to Canada.
When Atosha arrived from the Congo, she was only 21. A refugee, Atosha came to Canada with one young son and another on the way.
“Minoo and Nicole was my family. I was pregnant. They help me a lot. My due date, I go to mama Nicole and she drove me to Richmond Hospital. After that, I went to their house for one week. It’s my family. I appreciate them.”
Atosha joined our COLTS program in fall 2020 to pursue her dreams.
“Back in my home country, I was in school again to become teacher. There I did not finish my high school. Now I have a chance in Canada to go back to school.”
COLTS Daycare and Young Parent Program is for pregnant and/or parenting youth ages 13-26 to overcome related barriers. The program provides high-quality, subsidized childcare services and supports for youth like Atosha to set and work toward completing their education and starting a career. For Atosha, war got in the way of her completing school; now our dedicated COLTS staff are helping her to take her next steps on her own terms.
Whenever possible, we try to involve our clients in multiple programs when the crossover would benefit them. In addition to COLTS, Atosha attends some of our Community Kitchens. Though she’s already a skilled cook, she enjoys getting to learn recipes from Canada and other participants’ cultures.
Atosha is an impressive, hardworking, resilient young woman. She’s raising two young sons while navigating and settling in a new country, learning another language (English is her sixth), completing an education program, and working. She’s amazing all on her own and FSGV loves that we’ve had the chance to be part of her story.
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