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Refugee & Immigration Services: Success Stories
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Success
Stories... Christiana |
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Christiana and her
daughter, Dora (age 13), arrived in Milwaukee on May 27, 1999 as refugees
from Sierra Leone. Christiana’s mother, sister and two nieces joyfully
greeted them at the airport. It had been many stressful years since all of
them had last seen each other. Now Christiana and Dora were ready to begin
a new life. |
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In
1997 Christiana and Dora fled vicious fighting during the civil war in
Sierra Leone. They managed to escape into The Gambia, a country nearby.
There they were shuffled between various friends as Christiana tried to
provide basic necessities for Dora. While Christiana’s mother was
applying for her and Dora to come to the United States through the refugee
program, Christiana dreamed that America was going to be "a change in
my life compared to the war zone. (It would) be a prosperous place to live
and build a future." But, she was also considering what that future
would be. |
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Before the war
Christiana attended the University of Sierra Leone – Ipam for 5 years,
where she studied secretarial courses with some computing. She had to flee
without her college documents. She dreamed of becoming a nurse in the
United States, but knew that without any documents she might have to start
over with her education. She also knew that her focus would have to be
work in order to take care of her daughter. |
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Shortly after
arriving in Milwaukee and with Dora already into a routine at her new
school, Christiana began working for the Milwaukee Public Schools in the
Food & Nutrition Department. She is regarded highly by her supervisor
and praised for being such a hard, conscientious worker. After they were
both well on their way to self-sufficiency, Christiana enrolled in the GED
program at Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC). While this was a step
back for a college graduate, it is a requirement for any future MATC
degree programs. It took Christiana less that 3 semester to obtain her
GED!
In December 2001 Christiana
graduated from MATC with a two year Pre-Associate degree in Office
Technology. While attending school and working at MPS she also worked
part-time at Creative Living Environments as a weekend Care Giver.
While she loved this job, she no longer dreamt of becoming a nurse, but
instead of obtaining her two-year Associate degree at MATC in Office
Technology. She completed her degree and still works at Creative
Living Environments. Christiana has decided that "happiness comes in so many
ways." She knows that her future can become whatever she wants
to make of it. |
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Recently Christiana and Dora were
approved for their "Green Cards" for permanent residency and
have become US Citizens. Christiana also purchased a house on 7/30/2004! She says the hardest part about being away from
Sierra Leone is missing the weather. She says it is "hard to
appreciate winter in Wisconsin" after moving here from such a warm
climate. |
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Christiana is proud of how well she and Dora are doing. She is thankful of the assistance provided to her family by the LSS Refugee Resettlement program and the US government. Of life here in the United States she says, "it is perfect, but it involves dedicated time. My job, studies and family all take time. But with God, all things are possible." |
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