Staff Story

"A" was born in Afghanistan, and when the Taliban murdered her husband and uprooted everything she had ever known. She then fled as a refugee with her five kids to Turkey. Nothing was easy, but each step of the way, she persevered. There was a time when her kids had no food for days, and she was mad at God for allowing her to be in this situation. Then, relief workers knocked at her door with food. Instead of complaining, she took the opportunity to learn Turkish and English and befriend key people who had the power to help. The plan worked, leading her to be resettled with her kids in Hamtramck, MI.

Once arriving in the U.S., the challenges continued. She learned everything new again while raising five kids as a single mom. The kids had issues with post-traumatic stress. She worked a low-paying, high-stress job 40 minutes from her house. Life was hard, but again she persevered.

Several of us at One New Humanity got to know "A", and when we decided to start Joy Thrift, we thought she would be an ideal assistant to Louise, so we offered her a job. Now she works a few minutes down the street from her house. We remain flexible with her kids, offer her a competitive hourly wage, paid opportunities to attend English class, and a safe space for her to thrive and grow. Some days are difficult for her, but she is an asset to our work bringing many unique skills and experiences to the table.