Trainees

Originally from the Congo, Solange lived in Uganda before being resettled in Arizona.  She moved to Providence in July of 2016 with her seven kids and husband. It’s clear meeting Solange that she is an effusive ball of energy and positivity. She is determined to work hard to support her family. She recounted her experiences farming in Uganda and her completion of a childcare certification program in Arizona.  Solange has been pleasantly surprised by the support her family received in Providence.. A month into her experience in the kitchen, Solange overcame her initial fears after hearing her co-workers applaud her...

Amina (right), who started training in January, arrived with her family in Providence in May of 2016 via the Yemeni refugee camp where she grew up. She was recommended to our program to overcome shyness which employers can interpret as low confidence. She has enough schooling to read and write Arabic, and speaks Somali and some English (at barely audible levels). Perhaps because she’s the oldest of 5, she welcomes responsibilities and from the start was a pro at making granola bars.   Amina told me (via interpreter) that she wants to be a doctor for children, or work with...

The holidays are awesome because we’re super busy. We’ve been making over 750 pounds of granola, bars, and nuts per week—more than twice our usual haul!  For Faranswazi who joined us 3 weeks ago, it means long shifts, a larger training stipend, more English practice, and a glimpse of a more stable future as she learns to label and pack granola. Like many of our recent trainees Faranswazi is from the Democratic Republic of Congo and spent the last 15 years in a camp in Rwanda before arriving in Providence this last August.  She already has friends in the project. Murekatate...

Nzitonda is from the D.R. Congo. Nzitonda spent 20 years at a Ugandan refugee camp before coming to Rhode Island in 2016.  He is the brother to our recent graduate Uzamakunda (featured in September 2016). Our trainees come to us as the most vulnerable who do not have prospects of working right away due to low English language skills, job skills. Nzitonda is one of our especially vulnerable because he has never attended school of any kind; this often makes for a shyness and reticence to jumping into the production with full force. Nzitonda started out cautiously, but had the willingness to learn. ...

A few weeks ago in our e-newsletter we told you about Maha, who just joined us in the kitchen. She prefers not to be photographed, so we tried to show her at work without showing her face. Maybe a candid photo like this is better anyway. Maha arrived from Syria, via Jordan, just two months ago with her brother and his family. When we asked her what she likes about her work at the Providence Granola Project, she looked over at Evon and smiled; when her boss is happy, she’s happy, she says. Evon’s smile keeps her going. Evon is...

Meet Murekatete. At 7, her family in DR Congo scattered.  She and a brother landed in Gihembe Refugee Camp in Rwanda for 18 years, before coming to Rhode Island in June of 2015.  Her brother says “We left our first life, now we are on our second.” Murekatete speaks a lot about being safe, people helping her, especially with her health.  For the first time since primary school, she began attending school (ESL class). And now Murekatete is starting her first job. She had NEVER worked, and never heard of granola before, but claims she loves the taste and the...