Meet Fatima

Fatima grew up in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, with her parents and three brothers. She started her first job while still in school, working for the city bus system as a “conductress,” which she describes as the person responsible for greeting riders and collecting fares. She remained in this job for 40 years while also running the family tailor shop and managing seven employees. 

Fatima enjoyed working because it helped her become more confident. “I was very shy when I was younger,” she said, but meeting people every day helped her open up, and now “I am always the one talking, talking, talking,” she said with a laugh. 

After her mother passed away, Fatima’s brother helped her move to the United States with her son. They settled in Rhode Island in 2022. At first, she missed Banjul, but she has grown to love her new home and appreciates that life is “calm.” 

Fatima joined our Adult Kitchen Training Program at the start of 2026. She worked hard and enjoyed helping cook and prepare communal dinners for staff and trainees. After graduating in April, Fatima is continuing her English classes at the Refugee Dream Center and looking for a job. Ideally, she’d like to find something in a field like packaging or food preparation that would draw on her experience, but, really, she’s open to anything and excited to keep learning.