Halima has been improving her English in Djerriwarrh’s SEE program for the last 18 months. She is a keen, committed and enthusiastic student who always comes to class ready to learn. Halima’s efforts have been recognised with an award and a $250 scholarship, as a part of 2019 Adult Learners Week.
Halima is a single mother with 6 children from 6 to 17. She was born in Morocco and English is her third language, after Arabic and French. She tells me how proud she is of her children, ‘They are happy and healthy and they study well. They are responsible and look after each other.’
Halima has already completed a course in Cafe and Barista Skills, but wants to use her scholarship to study the Certificate IV in Early Childhood Education and Care in 2020. I asked her why and she said, ‘ I’m good with kids. I have 6 of my own.’ She was a qualified kinder teacher in Morocco and she wants to go back to this work in Australia.
‘I never learned English because thought I’d come to another country, but I like this English class. I want to be independent and to raise my children to be able to look after themselves. For anyone who comes to Australia, the first thing is that you have to learn English.’
