We love having a cross-generational team in our kitchen. It’s especially fun when young people join us and quickly land on their feet. Nyota is a delightful young woman who grew up in Tanzania after her parents fled the DR Congo.
Nyota recalls life in the Nyarugusu refugee camp as difficult. She attended school, but as the eldest of 6 siblings, her enduring memories are of not enough food and walking long distances to carry water. Despite all the unknowns and the new language, she was happy to leave the camp and was optimistic about her new life in Rhode Island when her family arrived last November.
Nyota didn’t know what granola was before she started making it, but now she thinks it’s delicious. She appreciates the opportunities she’s had here to learn about communication and teamwork. We’ve been excited to see her growing confidence and determination to engage with English.
Because Nyota missed the window to attend high school, she plans to find a job and then continue her education with ESL classes. Her hopes for the future include working, driving a car, and being able to buy the things she needs, though she doesn’t take it for granted that any of this will come easily. She’s thankful for the friends she’s made here and feels ready to start a full-time job.
