Perseverance Leads to Success
Pa is a 29-year-old single mother of two children who entered the United States in August 2004 as a refugee. She left everything behind when she immigrated to the USA from her homeland in Thailand. Pa came into the USA with no English, no work experience, no knowledge of American culture or the ways of life in this country. She had to start from scratch, learning her ABCs while attending ESL classes 20 hours per week. Currently, she lives in St. Paul with her two children in a small apartment.
When Pa arrived in St. Paul in 2004, it was a challenging time in her life. Being a single mother made life more difficult for her. Pa received support from the MFIP public assistance program and came to HAP for services in February 2006. Pa was able to participate in English as Second Language classes that would help her learn enough English to get and keep a job to support her family. Pa studied hard in school for two years and, with the help of her teachers, her English improved. Pa then began actively searching for employment.
It was a real challenge for Pa while job hunting because she had to depend on relatives and friends for transportation but, because of her determination to be self-sufficient, she looked for work every day. With the help of HAP’s Job Developers, Pa became employed on 2/25/2008.
Currently, Pa is working full-time with an industrial employer near her apartment. She works 40 hours per week and earns $11.47/hour, achieving her goal of getting off of public assistance.
Pa is a shining example of how hard work and perseverance pays off.