Heartwarming Portraits of WOW Ambassadors in a Welcoming City

Stories and Faces of a Welcoming City:
The WOW Ambassador Project
What Makes Us Feel Welcome?
The Qualities of a WOW Ambassador
1. Genuine Respect: A feeling of openness, curiosity, interest in others
2. Intercultural bridging: Sharing information and advice to help immigrants
understand cultural nuances and the local way of life
3. Hospitality: Embracing newcomers as individuals and as families
4. Opening doors to community: Helping newcomers grow roots in the
community through new social and professional networks
5. Friendship & Generosity of spirit: Listening, understanding, reassuring that
difficulties will pass.
Ambassador: Abai Coker
Nominator: Salome Atandi
‘I told him my story, my hopes, my
goals, my needs. He told me a lot
about settlement, about studying,
working and community. Being
welcomed like that means being
treated with dignity, having
somebody to listen to you,
somebody who will give you a
helping hand... That open door
was so important.’
Salome
Ambassadrice: Vicki Trudel
Co-ordonnatrice des
programmes jeunesse
Nominatrice: Claudia Pinto et
quatres autres nominateurs
‘Être avec elle m'apprend
que je n'ai pas besoin de
changer ma personnalité ou
mes valeurs pour m'intégrer à
un nouveau pays. Être
accueillie comme ça me fait
sentir chez moi et me donne
un sentiment
d'appartenance.’
— Claudia
Ambassadeur: Charles Tshimanga
Conseiller en emploi, WorldSkills
Nominatrice: Elise Edimo
‘Charles inspire à ces clients la
confiance dont ils ont besoin pour
réussir... Chaque fois que
j’apprends qu’une personne vient
d’arriver à Ottawa, je lui dis qu'il
faudra absolument rencontrer
Charles.’
— Elise
Ambassador: Wendy Alexis
Teacher
Nominator: Paul and O’Chang
Galuak
‘All it takes is one gesture from
one person and you receive
back 1,000 times what you
give. I’ve learned about
resilience from Paul, I’ve
learned about transcendence
and the incredible power of
the human spirit. Welcoming is
the thread that connects us
all.’
— Wendy
Ambassadors: Ann & Roger Bird
Artist & journalism professor
Nominator: Alice Musabende
‘Ann and Roger opened my eyes
to a different way of life and
allowed me to see my own place
here. That’s what it is to be
welcomed - it's a window into the
real lives of people that allows you
to craft your own life here.’
— Alice
Ambassador: Heather Pugh
Owner, Flow Pilates
Nominator: Carrie Cuhaci
‘If you don't have a
community welcoming you,
you can feel alone and
disenfranchised... Heather
introduced me to dozens of
people, told me where to
shop, what I needed to keep
me warm in the winter, and
made me part of her family.
Getting to know Heather was
the first time I thought my new
life could be as rich and full as
the one I left.’
— Carrie
Ambassadors: Beatrice & Ben
Osome
Retired nurse and retired
physiotherapist
Nominator: George Ogwelo
‘When you meet that person, you
open yourself fully to understand
who he is and how we can help
him. I like to say that Canada
brings people in and then we take
over.’
—  Ben
Ambassadrice: Mélanie
Gamache
Enseignante
Nominatrice: Yvonne
Katchunga
‘Mélanie a mis un sourire sur les
visages de mes enfants de par
l’amour qu’elle leur prodiguait
... Lorsqu’on ressent la
présence de quelqu’un à vos
côtés, cela vous donne le
courage d’avancer.’
— Yvonne
Ambassador: Eleanor Henderson
Retired ESL teacher
Nominator: Grace John
‘Eleanor found a job for me when I
first came. She is my second
mother and my whole family loves
her. I was lucky that when I
arrived, Eleanor was waiting for
me. I was never lost.’
— Grace
Ambassador: Pierre Charest
Agronomist
Nominator: Ephrem Nisrane
‘If someone like Pierre hadn’t
helped me, I would have
ended up continuing in
maintenance — and I would
wonder why I ever studied
chemical engineering. He
made me feel strong and
confident. I just got a job in my
field. It's a dream come true
and it's thanks to Pierre's
advice.’
— Ephrem
Ambassador: Yvette Yende-Ashiri
PR & communications professional
Nominators: Rawan Dallasheh,
Sabine Daniel and others
‘By having cultures helping other
cultures, you build each other.
When a community responds to
immigrants in a positive way and
embraces them, they will only do
well. This is why Canada is a
country of choice. The more
welcoming we are, the more we
all win.’
— Sabine
With Deepest Appreciation
to
J. David Andrews, Photographer
With Thanks
To Our Sponsors
 
With Thanks
To Our Sponsors
Imagine your name here!
Contact OLIP to host the WOW
Ambassador Exhibit in your
workplace, community hall or
place of worship
 
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Discover the inspiring stories of WOW Ambassadors who embody genuine respect, intercultural bridging, hospitality, opening doors to the community, and friendship. Meet Abai Coker, Vicki Trudel, Charles Tshimanga, Wendy Alexis, Ann & Roger Bird and learn how they have made newcomers feel at home through their kindness and support.

  • Heartwarming
  • WOW Ambassadors
  • Welcoming City
  • Community Support
  • Friendship

Uploaded on Sep 12, 2024 | 0 Views


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  1. Stories and Faces of a Welcoming City: The WOW Ambassador Project

  2. What Makes Us Feel Welcome? The Qualities of a WOW Ambassador 1. Genuine Respect: A feeling of openness, curiosity, interest in others 2. Intercultural bridging: Sharing information and advice to help immigrants understand cultural nuances and the local way of life 3. Hospitality: Embracing newcomers as individuals and as families 4. Opening doors to community: Helping newcomers grow roots in the community through new social and professional networks 5. Friendship & Generosity of spirit: Listening, understanding, reassuring that difficulties will pass.

  3. Ambassador: Abai Coker Nominator: Salome Atandi I told him my story, my hopes, my goals, my needs. He told me a lot about settlement, about studying, working and community. Being welcomed like that means being treated with dignity, having somebody to listen to you, somebody who will give you a helping hand... That open door was so important. Salome

  4. Ambassadrice: Vicki Trudel Co-ordonnatrice des programmes jeunesse Nominatrice: Claudia Pinto et quatres autres nominateurs tre avec elle m'apprend que je n'ai pas besoin de changer ma personnalit ou mes valeurs pour m'int grer un nouveau pays. tre accueillie comme a me fait sentir chez moi et me donne un sentiment d'appartenance. Claudia

  5. Ambassadeur: Charles Tshimanga Conseiller en emploi, WorldSkills Nominatrice: Elise Edimo Charles inspire ces clients la confiance dont ils ont besoin pour r ussir... Chaque fois que j apprends qu une personne vient d arriver Ottawa, je lui dis qu'il faudra absolument rencontrer Charles. Elise

  6. Ambassador: Wendy Alexis Teacher Nominator: Paul and O Chang Galuak All it takes is one gesture from one person and you receive back 1,000 times what you give. I ve learned about resilience from Paul, I ve learned about transcendence and the incredible power of the human spirit. Welcoming is the thread that connects us all. Wendy

  7. Ambassadors: Ann & Roger Bird Artist & journalism professor Nominator: Alice Musabende Ann and Roger opened my eyes to a different way of life and allowed me to see my own place here. That s what it is to be welcomed - it's a window into the real lives of people that allows you to craft your own life here. Alice

  8. Ambassador: Heather Pugh Owner, Flow Pilates Nominator: Carrie Cuhaci If you don't have a community welcoming you, you can feel alone and disenfranchised... Heather introduced me to dozens of people, told me where to shop, what I needed to keep me warm in the winter, and made me part of her family. Getting to know Heather was the first time I thought my new life could be as rich and full as the one I left. Carrie

  9. Ambassadors: Beatrice & Ben Osome Retired nurse and retired physiotherapist Nominator: George Ogwelo When you meet that person, you open yourself fully to understand who he is and how we can help him. I like to say that Canada brings people in and then we take over. Ben

  10. Ambassadrice: Mlanie Gamache Enseignante Nominatrice: Yvonne Katchunga M lanie a mis un sourire sur les visages de mes enfants de par l amour qu elle leur prodiguait ... Lorsqu on ressent la pr sence de quelqu un vos c t s, cela vous donne le courage d avancer. Yvonne

  11. Ambassador: Eleanor Henderson Retired ESL teacher Nominator: Grace John Eleanor found a job for me when I first came. She is my second mother and my whole family loves her. I was lucky that when I arrived, Eleanor was waiting for me. I was never lost. Grace

  12. Ambassador: Pierre Charest Agronomist Nominator: Ephrem Nisrane If someone like Pierre hadn t helped me, I would have ended up continuing in maintenance and I would wonder why I ever studied chemical engineering. He made me feel strong and confident. I just got a job in my field. It's a dream come true and it's thanks to Pierre's advice. Ephrem

  13. Ambassador: Yvette Yende-Ashiri PR & communications professional Nominators: Rawan Dallasheh, Sabine Daniel and others By having cultures helping other cultures, you build each other. When a community responds to immigrants in a positive way and embraces them, they will only do well. This is why Canada is a country of choice. The more welcoming we are, the more we all win. Sabine

  14. With Deepest Appreciation to J. David Andrews, Photographer

  15. With Thanks To Our Sponsors

  16. With Thanks To Our Sponsors Imagine your name here! Contact OLIP to host the WOW Ambassador Exhibit in your workplace, community hall or place of worship

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