The excited graduates of the African Diaspora Association of the Maritimes all held two things in common: their African heritage and success.
Celebrations were held at a culture café in Halifax Saturday.
Some graduates received diplomas in advanced project management, information management, customer service and some in all three.
The African Diaspora Association has spent the last 15 years helping immigrants.
Robinah Kakembo is part of the association and she says the program aims to build more than just connections.
“In terms of social connections, building networks among immigrants, and supporting immigrants in terms of employment, education and training programs, even just integration,” says Kakembo.
Kakembo says she knows only too well how badly the programs are needed. She arrived in Nova Scotia from Uganda in 1986.
“I came here as a secretary. I realized very fast that there's absolutely no way anybody's hiring me as a secretary because the bosses and all the managers had a computer at their desks.”
So she went back to school and received a degree in international development from Saint Mary’s University.
The cultural café and learning centre has played host to various courses.
Retired biology teacher Olive Philips says she wanted to learn about information technology.
“In our generation, the younger people outstrip us, because they are literally growing up on the computer, and so we just need to do something to keep ourselves in tune,” says Phillips.
The African Diaspora Association says most existing support programs are spread too thin to give immigrants the support they need.
Instructor Johannes During came to Nova Scotia from West Africa in 2003. He says immigrants always have an eye on the future.
During says his goal is to help newcomers not just survive, but thrive.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ron Shaw
