Celia reunited her family thanks to our Newcomer Services staff
When Celia immigrated to Canada, she left Hao Wen, the love of her life, back in China. Heartbroken, Celia found it difficult to cope and visited China to get married. After returning to Canada, she was happy but anxious.
Celia was now pregnant. With limited English, no job and no friends or family here, she agonized over how to support herself and her child, and how to reunite her family. Celia heard about the Great Start Together Perinatal program. There she found the support she needed: new friends in similar situations, information about caring for her new baby, settlement services and programs for newcomers.
Guided by one of our settlement workers, Celia learned how to apply for a child care subsidy and placed her child in our 91 Bellevue Child Care Centre. She also started improving her English through our LINC classes. Those two steps were essential – they gave Celia the opportunity to start working part-time to support herself.
Finally, Celia’s dream came true. With the help of her settlement worker, Celia successfully sponsored Hao Wen. Her family was together for the first time.