Equipping Newcomers with Education to Gain Skills and Build Community

Mariam* and her children fled the civil war in Sudan and spent many years in a neighboring country before they were resettled to the US. Starting over yet again, Mariam felt overwhelmed and isolated when they arrived here.

Mariam was first connected with ReEstablish Richmond through our Transportation Independence services. She worked hard to learn the rules and skills of safe driving. After earning her driver's license, Mariam heard about the Heela sewing class and eagerly joined the waiting list.

The Heela Beginner Course is a skill- and community-building class that teaches detail-oriented, professional machine sewing. The skills learned in this class may help clients find a job in sewing, support their families, or simply enjoy a new craft.

Mariam applied the skills she learned as a new driver to  her sewing lessons. "At first, machine sewing was a little bit scary," Mariam said, "but since I know driving, the idea came to me that I could just go slowly. If you push the gas pedal or the brake faster, then it's going to make an accident. With sewing, it's almost the same."

After 9 weeks of instruction with a cohort of students from various countries, Mariam earned her graduation certificate for Heela Level 1, which demonstrated her dedication to learning and high-quality crafting.

Now Mariam feels more connected and confident. "The knowledge I gained from ReEstablish Richmond doesn't end when the class is over. When I learn something, it helps the whole family and strengthens the community."

In 2023, 41 students graduated from our Heela sewing course. Your donation today will continue providing accessible educational programming for newcomers like Mariam to learn new skills, increase their self-sufficiency, build community, and create opportunities for joy.

* Name and some details have been changed to protect client identity. While this story may represent one individual's experience, it also reflects the common experiences of newcomers from this background.