These newcomers to Canada have agreed to share how their lives have been changed thanks to the educational and financial support they received from MaKami Education Foundation.
Pedro’s Story
A farmer in his native Colombia, Pedro Palma came to Canada five years ago and quickly realized his future would likely involve cleaning hotel rooms or some other unskilled-labour work in the hospitality sector.
“It’s the only job for the immigrant people,” he thought when he arrived in Calgary with wife Francy and two children. “It’s a job, it’s money. You do what you have to do for your family.”
Times were tough when Pedro approached the foundation several years ago, in need of a loan to help pay mounting household bills. “I was very worried. I had no exit. And they helped me when I needed it most. I thought, ‘WOW!’ “
Not only did the foundation provide financial support, it helped pay for ESL tutoring and supported him when he enrolled in the two-year, 3,000-hour program at MaKami College massage therapy school. He soon will finish his first year.
“They helped me focus on my studies, to learn massage, but also English. My home life is much better now,” he says with a big smile. “My kids, they are happy too.”
“Muchas Gracias for helping me, for my kids, for my family. I am very thankful. I will never forget that.”
Francy’s Story
When she came to Canada with her husband Pedro and children from Colombia five years ago, Francy Canal knew her job prospects were bleak.
With little English and few transferable job skills, the soft-spoken woman found new hope – and a viable career – thanks to MaKami Education Foundation. The charity phelps people with physical, mental and socio-economical barriers achieve their educational dreams by removing barriers to receiving an education.
Francy’s life changed a year ago when she read an article in a Spanish-language newspaper about MaKami College.
“I saw this was a big opportunity to change my life in Canada” says Francy, who recently completed her first year of studies at MaKami in Calgary and now works as a Spanish tutor for other new Canadians.
“Before, I cried many times that I didn’t have anything to do in Canada. It’s very important to help the foundation because it helps immigrants with their future,” she says with a smile.
She says the foundation paid the cost of her ESL instructors to help her overcome the language barrier. Her two children, now age 14 and 15, have learned English at school and are now thrilled to have family conversations at home in English with her and their father Pedro, who also studies as MaKami College.
“Now, we have more time for the kids and we can take some more money home to do things with our family.”