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The Republic of Haiti is a country approximately the size of Maryland, with a diverse ecosystem and vibrant culture in the Caribbean Sea. Haiti occupies the western part of the island of Hispaniola, the largest island in the Greater Antilles, sharing the island with the Dominican Republic. The capital is Port-au-Prince with other major cities being Cap-Haïtien, Jérémie, Les Cayes, Hinche, Gonaïves, and Jacmel. Haiti has a warm, humid, and tropical climate with the average temperature at 83 degrees Fahrenheit, and average annual rainfall around 54 inches.

Haiti was the second country in the Americas, after the United States, to gain independence when they won their independence from France in 1804. Haiti, the third largest country in the Caribbean, has a population of 11.6 million with 94% being of African descent, almost entirely descended from enslaved African people. Haitian Creole and French are the two official languages of Haiti, with school being taught in French.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, with four-fifths of the population living in absolute poverty, and three-fifths unemployed. The majority of Haitians work in the ‘informal’ sector, meaning working odd jobs, street vending, or working abroad. Education is mandatory for children, but with a lack of facilities and resources, only a small portion of Haitian children attend school. Three-fifths of the adult population literate, that rate lower in the countryside versus the city.

Contemporary Haitian culture is a blend of African and French influence, as well as Spanish and English Caribbean, all coming together to create a unique and distinctive blend with innovative art, music, dance, and literature.

Haitian cuisine is influenced by French and African flavors, the most celebrated food is Soup Joumou (pumpkin soup), eaten on New Year’s Day or Haiti’s Independence Day in celebration of freedom from slavery.

Haiti’s history has been marred by conflict. After years of occupation by France, and then the United States, followed by dictatorial regimes, Haiti held their first free election in 1990. Only a year later, that leader was ousted in a military coup. Conflict continued, and in 2010, Haiti was hit by a devasting and powerful earthquake that claimed over 250,000 lives. A mix of natural disasters and civil unrest, Haiti today is still faced by destruction and plagued by gang violence.

Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world with a population of over 241.5 million. The country is a part of the greater Indian subcontinent and bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, China, and India; with five distinct geographic areas. 

There are 77 established native languages in Pakistan, 68 indigenous and 9 non-indigenous. The vitality of roughly 49 languages are either ‘in-trouble’ or ‘dying’ out. Only four are classified as ‘institutional,’ while 24 are being ‘developed’. Even with its vibrancy of languages, the national language of Pakistan is Urdu and English. 

Pakistan has a more complex education system. Influenced by its history, diverse population, and ongoing efforts to enhance access and equity, and to combat its significant disparity in quality, the country has created the National Education Policy to provide a framework on guidelines on curriculum design, teaching methods, and school infrastructure. The National Education Policy helps strengthen curriculum development, teacher training and professional development, promote the use of technology in classroom, and additionally provide opportunities to collaborate with private sectors and international organizations to utilize resources and areas of expertise. 

Pakistan is also the site of several ancient cultures that showcase the earliest human civilizations of present-day Pakistan. It is known that inhabitants in the regions were Soanian during the Lower Paleolithic where artifacts have been found in the Soan Valley of Punjab. Some of the successive ancient cultures include the 5,000-year history of urban life in South Asia, the 8,500-year-old Neolithic site of Mehrgarh in Balochistan, the Indus Valley of the Bronze Age and the Ancient Gandhara civilisation. 

Pakistan also has a multitude of famous landmarks to visit. The Badshahi Mosque, a sacred site within the Muslim faith, was built in 1673, and is still recognized as one of the biggest mosques on the planet. Shalimar Gardens is another famous landmark completed in 1642. It sits in the heart of Lahore and once belonged to a royal family. It holds over 410 fountains and five cascades. Another amazing landmark that took over 10 years of construction and was completed in 1986 is the Faisal Mosque. The Faisal Mosque is recognized as the largest mosque in Pakistan and the sixth largest in the world. Fun-fact about the Faisal Mosque is that it can house 100,000 worshippers at a time.

Fernanda has wanted to live in the US since she was 18 years old, a dream that finally came true 2 years ago when she moved to Oshkosh with her husband and two daughters. Her dream now – for her daughters, ages 5 and 13, to flourish.

Fernanda’s time in the US has not been all a dream though, she has struggled with the loss of independence that not speaking fluent English has caused. The lack of communication has caused her to feel dependent on others and unable to talk and engage, something she typically loves to do.

Fernanda is from Brazil and lived there until 2015 when her husband, who works for Amcor, was transferred to Mexico. They stayed in Mexico for 7 years before another work transfer brought them to Oshkosh.

Fernanda began coming to WALC almost exactly 1 year ago and has been working with her tutor Nicole Voytovich since February. It is through her work with WALC’s Vocational Services Director, Oxana, and her tutor Nicole, that Fernanda is now working at local cafe Planet Perk.

Fernanda has been welcomed into the Planet Perk community, stating how grateful she is for her co-workers and boss, Planet Perk owner, Ken Osmond. The feeling is mutual, Ken expressed his gratitude for Fernanda, describing her as “very brave, very intelligent, and very humble” as well as commending her thirst for knowledge. Nicole shared the sentiment as well, saying how well Fernanda fit in with the staff, and how talking to her co-workers and customers is helping her practice and gain more confidence in her English.

The welcoming community at Planet Perk and the experience and practice Fernanda will gain from her time there, is a perfect example of a WALC success story. We are equally as grateful as both Fernanda and Ken for this opportunity and potential for future partnership with Planet Perk.

This month’s Volunteer Spotlight shines brightly on Diane. A retired RN, Diane has been an invaluable member of our team since 2018. Diane heard about us at the end of her career and was initially interested because of her lifelong passion for reading. She wanted to share her love for reading that, as she put it, “opens new worlds.” 

Diane’s first experience as a volunteer with WALC was to support someone studying for their Citizenship Test, a role she found fulfilling. Encouraged by our Education Director, she transitioned to assisting at Women and Children’s English classes, starting as a classroom aide before becoming deeply involved with the children’s portion of the program. 

Diane told us that she enjoys volunteering so much that it almost feels selfish – she is constantly learning so much! She also expressed a feeling we hear time and again from our volunteers, which is how impressed she is with the resilience & courage of the people we work with. She also likes to remind the families she works with what a gift it is to continue talking to their children in their native language so they can maintain their cultural roots at home. Diane often helps learners with health questions, making phone calls on their behalf and assisting in solving problems. She said that even when she gets stuck it’s always an interesting problem to solve, and she feels confident knowing that she always has our Education Department as a resource. Diane continues tutoring in addition to helping with the children twice a week at our Women and Children’s class. For the past 3-4 years she has been walking alongside a husband and wife assisting with English. She has also helped with several big milestones – passing the citizenship test and applying for a Habitat for Humanity home. Diane said their success is due to their dedication – they set aside the time to learn, and they make a point to meet in front of their kids so they’re setting an example of how important literacy is. 

Thank you Diane – for everything you do for our learners here at WALC!

Redwan is an immigrant from Syria who arrived in the USA with his family in November of 2022. 

Redwan was a certified Ophthalmologist and Eye Surgeon in Syria, performing various surgical procedures such as cataract surgery, LASIK surgery, and glaucoma surgery.

He quickly realized that getting back into his professional field in the U.S would take a lot of work. He met with the Vocational Services Director, Oxana, quite regularly to map out his plan. Redwan took the first step by enrolling in the ELL program at FVTC and worked hard on improving his spoken and written skills in English.

As a Road to Work program participant, he learned about American work culture, polished his resume writing skills, and gained interviewing skills. Additionally, he was actively applying for jobs in the area of his expertise. WALC helped him connect with Aurora Medical Center in Fond Du Lac, who had an open position as an Optometric Ophthalmic Technician. Redwan quickly jumped to step two of his strategic plan – preparing a strong resume and getting ready for his first interview. He went through three rounds of interviews with the panel. It was clear that the interviewers were impressed with Redwan’s background knowledge, skills, and experience. He was extremely prepared; he knew his role and what was expected of him. The panel acknowledged Redwan’s expertise and recognized his potential. They just needed him to get better at English to be able to perform this role with confidence. Although Redwan did not land that job, he said it had been a valuable interviewing experience and it motivated him to invest more time in practicing his English.  

In June of 2023, Redwan applied for a position as an Optician with Shopko Optical in Oshkosh and had a successful interview with the company. He made an exceptional impression on the interviewing team and was offered a job, starting the position at the end of July 2023.  

Redwan is now working full-time and says that he is learning a lot about the American healthcare system, health insurance, and customer interaction, which will increase his chances for success in the future. Redwan’s next step is to continue on this path and has dreams of becoming an Optometrist and obtaining a license for practicing. 

Redwan is incredibly grateful for all the assistance he got from the Vocational Services Director at WALC and is enthusiastic about proving that he has the skills to be a valuable part of this community’s workforce. We wish Redwan success in his future endeavors! 

Our Spotlight of the month is Michelle!

Michelle started volunteering with us two years ago, after she retired from the Oshkosh Area School District as an elementary school teacher. At WALC Michelle is a tutor, a classroom helper, and a substitute teacher. She also generously contributed her time at Spellbound For Literacy and the Farmers Market this past year. Always ready to jump in and help, Michelle has quickly become a mainstay in our WALC offices.

With a lifelong passion for fostering diverse learning environments, Michelle’s journey to our literacy council was a natural fit. She taught in Germany for 16 years, and during that time she had students from all over Europe, which she found invigorating. Michelle said she loves being a volunteer here because she loves the energy that the WALC staff, teachers and learner’s supply. She admires the unrelenting dedication demonstrated by our learners, who work extremely hard every day; even just to get to class!

Michelle, your commitment and enthusiasm have solidified your place as an integral part of our WALC family. We extend our deepest gratitude for the invaluable contributions you make every day. Thank you for everything you do!

Our Spotlight of the Month this January is Rozan!  Rozan is seen here celebrating her 180 days on the job with 4Imprint.  Rozan relocated to Oshkosh a little over two years ago from Syria. She cherishes life in Oshkosh, especially in comparison to larger cities like Chicago or Milwaukee, appreciating the warmth and friendliness of the people here. In Syria, Rozan was pursuing a degree in Geology, but the onset of the war disrupted her academic journey.

Despite the challenges, Rozan’s husband successfully obtained a Green Card and came to the US. While awaiting the necessary paperwork to join him, she dedicated two years to mastering the English language in preparation for her new life. Once she arrived, we had the privilege of assisting Rozan with her English skills at the WALC for a couple of months before she secured her first job in Oshkosh, working in a restaurant. However, it turned out to be a mismatch for her.

That’s when she connected with Oxana through our Road To Work program, leading her to her current position at 4Imprint. Rozan expresses her love for working at 4Imprint, emphasizing the supportive and friendly atmosphere.

Congratulations Rozan! Thank you for allowing us to share your inspiring success story. Please keep us posted on the wonderful journey of your growing family!

A Road to Work Success Story!

Joan came to Oshkosh, WI as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo in November of 2022. As a young, outgoing, goal-oriented woman with a bachelor’s degree in Community Development, she was looking for opportunities to start a new life here in the U.S.

Joan was referred to the Winnebago Area Literacy Council Road to Work program by our community liaison with an intention of helping Joan gain a better understanding of the job market and the newest employment trends in WI, and learn how to craft a good resume and develop good interviewing skills. She was very excited about the prospective job opportunities but did not know where she would fit the best. Very soon, Joan learned that career pathways in health care afford tremendous opportunities, especially at a pivotal time in Wisconsin as healthcare shortages are on the rise.

As a very giving, caring, and compassionate person by nature, Joan decided to explore a new career path as a CNA. After taking a 4-week class she started working in her new role at Parkview Health Center in Oshkosh.

In a conversation with our Vocational Services Director, she shared that working in the healthcare field has its challenges but also holds inspiring advancements and boasts a meaningful, service-minded passion that fuels making a difference in the lives of others. The residents she works with call her a “smiler” as she always brings in a positive vibe and her own sunshine when she enters their rooms. She is glad to be a part of this dynamic industry.

Congratulations, Joan! We are excited to see what your professional future holds for you and what dreams you are planning to achieve!

Our November Volunteer Spotlight is Allegra Van Rossum. Allegra became a volunteer with us just this year, but she is already very involved with our organization in several ways.

Allegra is originally from the Madison area and served in the Army for 4 years after completing her degree in computer science at UW Stout. She relocated to Oshkosh for a job with Oshkosh Corporation a little over a year ago.

She loves Oshkosh and was already looking for a volunteer opportunity when she read about the Winnebago Area Literacy Council in the local newspaper. It seemed like a good way to get involved and give back to the community, so she reached out. Allegra is tutoring one individual, and she also comes to our Menasha classes every Tuesday and Thursday to serve as a classroom helper. In addition to those weekly commitments, she has been involved in our special events – serving as a judge for the Mark Gruenwald Comic Book Creation Challenge and attending our annual Spellbound For Literacy Event. Allegra says she enjoys being a WALC volunteer because we’re teaching usable, tangible skills and there is real measurable progress. WALC is grateful to have Allegra as a volunteer, and her efforts contribute significantly to the success of the organization. Thank you, Allegra, for your commitment and the positive influence you bring to the Winnebago Area Literacy Council!

Mwigimba came to Oshkosh, WI as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo in November of 2022 at the age of 20. He arrived here with his sister while the rest of his family – his Mother and two siblings – were left behind.

Mwigimba’s biggest advantage as a newcomer was a good level of conversational English. He enrolled in our Road to Work for Refugees and Immigrants program early in December and by mid-January of 2023 he was offered a position of a Production Worker at the Amcor Health Care facility here in Oshkosh. He is very much liked on the job for his friendly, compassionate personality, as well as his business-like attitude and great work ethic.

Soon after his probation period Amcor offered him an absolutely exciting job opportunity – a Trainer Coordinator position that utilizes his skills as a Swahili-English interpreter at the facility. In this role, he assists all new Swahili-speaking hires at his facility and works with them during their training period teaching them the ropes.

The company management recognized Mwigimba’s potential and offered him financial assistance for a degree program from a local college for 2024. Mwigimba couldn’t be happier! He enjoys every workday, he loves the work environment and his team, he enjoys his supervisor and he is looking forward to his new bright future with Amcor!

Thanks to the stability of his position Mwigimba was able to buy a car and support his family while they were overseas. Not long ago his mother and siblings finally arrived in Wisconsin. Now he doesn’t have to worry about his loved ones, and they are all together again.

Mwigimba also provides support to the Swahili-speaking learners in our Road to Work program as an interpreter at their job interviews. “It’s my way of giving back for all the support I got, and it helps me reach a greater sense of fulfillment,” he says.

Congratulations on your success Mwigimba – we hope you continue to keep us updated as your journey progresses!