Testimonials
MC
Hi my name is MC
I am a new comer to Canada, I am mother of two kids, one of 14, and the other one of 10, one day I received a call that with ought knowing would change my life, it was to invite me to take a jewellery class, and even do the classes where an hour and a half away from my house, I always tried to get to my classes in time, the course was 8 weeks long, and I could only assist to 6 classes, because after my 6th class I saw a flyer that sed a jewellery near by needed one more recruit, and with ought thinking it twice I went to apply to the job, and they tested me, they asked me to make a design, and I did the one I was showed to do in the classes I went to, and I got the job, and I understood that what started as a hobby ended up as a real job. For all these is that I want to say thank you very much for all your support
Sincerely
MC
Marissa C.
My name is Marissa C. I live in Morningside and Kingston road, Scarborough Ontario. I came in Canada since 1993, I married and I got kids in 2003. Being a mother I need to sacrifice my work for the benefits of my children, that change my life big time, my husband will over powering me, giving order what I need to do and not to do. He started to control everything with me sometimes he call me name, I become depress that time but I don’t know what I need to do, I thought that’s the way it is, I never know how to stand my right. Until I saw flyers about Arising Woman that was 2004. I went and talk to a lady named Shanti, I attend a group session, learning the role as a woman and how to stand for our rights. I learn and I heard a lot of women having problems like me or worse that I couldn’t believe it. Arising women gave me a spirit to tell my rights to my husband. When he knew that I had some knowledge about my rights, he started to change little by little and until now will still together. In 2005 Arising women got a nice program, which was a belly dancing for women to get to forget the past pain and building their confidence and be healthy, that still I have for a while and have fun and got confident, and it worked for me.
In 2007 and 2008 Arising women launched a new program for all the women interested in jewellery making. I signed up again. That program give me more hope and a chance to show my talent as an artist. I got passion with it, and I started my own small business at home just enough to help my personal needs. One morning I got a nice call from Annie the founder of Arising Women asking me if I can teach jewellery for the second group of women to give me more confidence and an income, I accept it. My experience that I never forget while I was teaching is that day is pouring rain I got call from one lady asking for a direction to get at Arising Woman. My partner gave the address and still the lady couldn’t find it but she never give up. She called and called again until I answered the phone and made the decision to ask where she was. I said: don’t go anywhere, because I wanted to pick her up. That is what I did. I felt so bad when I saw her. She is soak in wet but still full of hope and determination to change her life and absorb another experience. I felt good with it. I feel like a new person.
ARISING WOMEN MORE POWER TO YOU, I LOVE YOU. MARISSA
Shanti
In the summer of 2003, I had been looking for work for quite some time and things were very difficult. One day I happened to be at the Storefront in Morningside Mall and I saw an Arising Women’s flyer. Intrigued, I went to their office. There I met a warm and friendly woman named Annie. She told me about an administrative position being available and would I like to apply for it. I later had an interview and I was hired! My work at Arising Women consisted of a combination of customary programs and services in conjunction with specialized programs which I facilitated integrating a holistic approach to healing.
My background included working in theatre for more than ten years and I was about to graduate from a counselling program that fall. Annie, being a very generous person, gave me the opportunity to offer groups sessions using my unique skills, training and experience. Before long, I was providing one on one counselling and facilitating group therapy sessions in creative writing, drama, art and belly dancing. I also incorporated elements of Psychodramatic Bodywork® in my counseling sessions.
One particular gap that I identified while working at Arising Women, was the need for food for our workshops. I spent more than one year establishing a partnership with Second Harvest to provide cooked food for each of our workshops, which gratefully, continues to this day. (Annie calls this my legacy!) After three and one half years of meaningful, powerful work, a great friendship and very special times, the funding constraints led me to accept a full-time position with another agency. I used all of my transferable skills and made the transition to employment counselling, still committed to working with women, but in a different capacity. There I found the need to also provide counselling and guidance to women facing many issues, which acted as barriers to employment.
Today I am working at MicroSkills in The Mentoring Partnership Program, matching internationally trained professionals with mentors, in occupation-specific mentoring relationships. When I reflect on the past five years, I realize that my time spent with Annie and all the women at Arising Women, helped to move me forward to where I am today. At Arising Women, I had the opportunity to grow and expand my skills, the encouragement to build my confidence and the support and space to initiate new and innovative holistic programming.
I am so happy for Annie that she graduated from the University of Toronto this year. No surprise that Annie has also been a positive role model for me and now I have gone back to school and I am working towards completing my undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto.
Thank you Annie for all the love and support I have received and for the wonderful journey together. I remain always, an “Arising Woman”.
In Peace, Love and Solidarity,
Shanti