Grace's story in Portlaoise

Grace is from Nigeria and came to Ireland to find greater opportunities in life. She works as a carer, studies in college and dreams of opening her own business one day. She shares her story below.

"It's a long story, how I ended up in Ireland. God brought me here because if you had seen me before you wouldn’t have recognised me, you would not believe that it’s me! So God really changed me through the help of this country. I could not read or write in my native language or any language before. I could not speak English, I could not read, I could not write, but now.. I can write and speak English, it’s great. With the help of teachers, I began to learn. I’m now going to adult education; it also helps me in my care work. I always go and do my course, by God’s Grace I have now reached Level 8 of my education!

I was in Cork before. I started to meet up with people there. One female volunteer came and taught me English every Tuesday night. She would volunteer to teach me, she was so nice. She was living in a hostel for four and a half years, that’s where I met her. It was a great place to meet people. She often brought me books to read when she left - every material I needed. I needed books, I needed bags, I needed scarves. She did great things for me.

I’m proud of Ireland. They teach people to do something. People here they push people to go forward. They don’t want you to stay behind, only to go forward and learn more. That’s what I see here and it’s a very good thing. Even if you don’t have anything when you come here, they will find a way to train you, to become the person you want to be in the future. The people have really welcomed me.

I’m a person who doesn’t want to sit down, I want to use my hands and do something, Even though I am working part-time, I still want to volunteer with the community and in the community.

I donate to charity every month. Even if I feel I don’t have much money, I still have to do it. Sometimes it’s sad for me because what I have is not even enough but I still have to help the poor, because God helped me, through the help of people my whole life. So I want to help others.

I intend to continue working on my education so that I can do more in my future. I think if anything, I’d like to open a business one day, like a bed and breakfast. And also, I’d like to continue to help others, maybe adopt children and take care of them if I make enough money!

I’m very, very happy getting experience working here, learning how to arrange things, working with the till, how to run a business. I have really benefited. It also really helped me to meet up with many other people, like different tribes of people. Especially since I’ve come and joined this team, they are like my family now. There’s so much love!

You have to give whatever you can to people. Not only money, but your character, how you embrace people, how you must share love to people – that is what you have to do. You show them the love you have for them, especially those that don’t have anybody. You have to treat everyone with the same respect as you'd like for yourself."

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