Ghalia came here in 2010 from Syria with her husband, who was a U.S. citizen. For the first few years, she concentrated on being a mother. Being here was difficult because she did not know English, and all her friends and family were back in Syria. She was entirely dependent on her English-speaking husband and eventually on her young daughter who learned English in school.
In 2017, she decided to improve her situation by coming to The Immigrant Learning Center to learn English. Reading and writing were particularly difficult for her because the Arabic alphabet is so different from English, so she was placed in the Literacy Program. When she decided to become a U.S. citizen, she was fortunate that The ILC has a citizenship class just for students with literacy challenges. She was sworn-in as a new citizen in October and transferred to the Level 4 English Class.
Ghalia wants to help support her family, but has limited time between school and child care. She recently applied for and was accepted as a driver for Amazon Flex. This allows her to make her own hours. She completed the online application in English, and says it wouldn’t have been possible without The ILC. More than just a school, Ghalia feels The ILC has become her extended family. Her next goal is to earn her high school diploma so she can find better jobs when her children are older.
Thank you for making stories like this possible through your continued support.
Diane Portnoy
Founder and CEO
The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.
The ILC board member and volunteer tutor, Diane Stern, was selected as a Patriots Difference Maker of the Week. Diane first became involved as a volunteer one-on-one tutor ten years ago, and joined the board of trustees in 2013. She will take part in a special in-game ceremony at the Patriots final regular season home game against the New York Jets on Sunday, Dec. 30. Congratulations, Diane, you deserve it!
Doing any last-minute holiday shopping? Start at Smile.Amazon.com to direct some year-end contributions to The ILC that won’t cost you a thing.
Craving some pepperoni? Stop by Pisa Pizza any time in January. When you order a pepperoni pizza, The ILC will get a donation.
The Immigrant Learning Center®, Inc. (ILC) of Malden, MA, is a not-for-profit organization that gives immigrants a voice in three ways. The English Language Program provides free, year-round English classes to immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston to help them become successful workers, parents and community members. The Public Education Institute informs Americans about the economic and social contributions of immigrants in our society, and the Institute for Immigration Research, a joint venture with George Mason University, conducts research on the economic contributions of immigrants.