Did you know the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the “Year of the Nurse and Midwife,” in honor of Florence Nightingale’s 200th birthday? Maybe I’m biased, but when I think of nursing, I think of immigrants and The ILC students. In fact, without immigrants, our nursing shortage would be a full-blown nursing crisis.

In particular, Daphne comes to mind. She was a nurse in Haiti, and her dream was to practice in other countries. If she could become a nurse in the United States, she would get the international experience she wanted, and it would be easier to work in more countries. So, in 2016 she moved here. Daphne knew some English, but not enough to get a job until she came to The Immigrant Learning Center. Not long after she started, she got her first job as a home health aide. Later she obtained her driver’s license and a second job, and eventually a third job.

“It’s not very easy, but I’ll do it. If you want something, you have to make some sacrifice,” Daphne said about working three jobs and coming to class five days a week. “I’m so, so happy because when I came here I had a little, little English. Now I have more vocabulary, more grammar. Now I can move within United States. I can speak with American people. I can understand them. I can speak a little bit clearly. The ILC helped me very, very, very much.”

While she is no longer one of our students, Daphne is still working three jobs and studying. She is studying for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which is required for college admission, and working with the Welcome Back Center for nurses at Bunker Hill Community College. Although she still has a long road ahead of her, I’m sure she’ll make it, and it wouldn’t be possible without English and supporters like you.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

 

Diane Portnoy

The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.