Madonna Mission Annual Report 2023

(Three Generations story continued)

Rahaset recalled not knowing what life in America would be like but knowing that it would be difficult at first. She recalled stepping off the plane, her first air flight, into the cold shock of a Chicago winter and worrying that her children might freeze. Since then, life has changed for the better for every generation of the family. The tutors of Madonna Mission’s English as a Second Language program work with Rahaset and her mother on reading and speaking skills. As graduates of the Madonna Mission After School and Summer Learning in Action programs, the family’s two oldest children are thriving at one of suburban Chicago’s leading Chicago prep high schools. And thanks to the dedicated volunteers of Madonna Mission – and the vital support of its donors – the refugee parents who came to this country with little except their hope for a better education for their children are seeing that hope become a reality.

The Berhane/Naizgi Family

Did You Know? When families flee to another country, children miss out on months or years of school and may never catch up. These children are far more vulnerable to abuse, neglect, or other types of violence. Source: UNHCR 2023 Education report

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