Shukri came to the US in the summer of 2010 from the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. She was forced to flee her home country of Somalia in 2006. When she arrived in Seattle with her family she was enrolled in the LEP Pathway ESL services program with the Refugee Resettlement Office. It was her first experience in going to school. She didn’t know how to respond to common information questions such as:
Hi, how are you? What is your name? Where are you from? She started off in level 1A and worked with teachers and volunteers to understand the basic concepts of English communication.
With diligent studying and repetition she moved quickly through the ESL coursework and achieved level 3. After getting to level 3 she felt she was ready to secure employment to help her young family become more self sustaining. She went on a number of interviews and was offered a job as a housekeeper at a local hotel. She excelled in the position and was able to help support her family.
In July of this year Shukri’s hard work and dedication helped her fulfill a lifelong dream as she was sworn in as a US citizen on July 4th at the Seattle Center. ESL classes helped her achieve the dreams she has for herself and her family. “I love this country and am happy to be a part of it!”