Giving Tuesday | Immaculate’s Story
The first thing you might notice about Immaculate is her smile. Not only is it radiant, it also never leaves her face. Even as she tells about her harrowing journey from Uganda to Canada in 2021, she is positively beaming.
Maybe that’s because Immaculate’s determination is as powerful as her optimism. Arriving in Halifax with next to nothing, she made her way to Toronto, often sleeping on the streets and forgoing food so she’d be able to pay drivers for a lift.
“It’s hard being on the street, because people don’t know your story,” she explains. “They might think you’re dangerous. They look the other way.”
Immaculate’s perseverance ultimately got her to Toronto, but when she arrived, she wasn’t sure where to go. She rode the subway aimlessly, until finally a stranger directed her to one of the city’s shelters. “I was happy.” She smiles. “I had a bed. I had food. It was more than I had had for days” A few months later, she found a place at Adam House, a refugee home in the Bloorcourt neighborhood.
“That’s how I found Oasis.” Immaculate explains. “I started coming to Oasis for food, since we had to cook our own meals. So, I started by lining up on Wednesdays. But, one day, my friend invited me to volunteer. Since then, I try to come every week after school to help out. It’s important to me to give back. So many people in Canada have supported me as a refugee. I want to help as much as I can.”
Immaculate is a mainstay at 1219 Hallam, where her favorite volunteer activity is cleaning the kitchen — yes, really, and yes, we love her for it! “Oasis plays such a great role in my life. It isn’t just about the food. It’s about sharing with each other. The people here have helped me so much.” she says.
Immaculate has a new place in the neighbourhood, close enough so she can drop by regularly. She's hard at work at school, studying so she can get her GED. Her dream? To one day go to University to become a nurse. In her spare time, she's lending her energy and talent to painting stunning landscapes of life in Uganda. Her talent and energy know no bounds. And neither does her happiness.
“I’m happy because if I didn’t go through all these hardships, I wouldn’t have met so many good people. “ she grins. “I’m just happy about what I have now.
Her smile is as resilient as she is.
