Two years ago, three refugee women walked into the ICS building unsure of their future direction.
Ms. Sima, Ms. Shakila, and Ms. Saadiyah had recently immigrated to the United States but found their education and degrees from their home countries were not recognized.
“When I came here and asked to work with my degrees, they said, ‘Oh, they didn’t accept your degrees because you’re from Iraq,’” Ms. Saadiyah recalls. “I graduated. I studied. I worked hard jobs in my country, but it’s for nothing.”
This experience is common for many women resettling in the U.S. To address this challenge, along with the teacher shortage in Georgia, ICS partnered with Refugee Women’s Network to create the Aspiring Teacher’s Program, which helps refugee women pursue full-time careers in education.
Through this innovative pilot teaching program, Ms. Sima, Ms. Shakila, and Ms. Saadiyah have been working as teaching assistants at ICS while completing their degrees. By next school year, they will be co-teachers. Within two years, they will be ready to lead their own classrooms.
"ICS is uniquely situated to address the teacher shortage.
We really try to fill that gap as well as provide meaningful employment for women who have come here as refugees and are aspiring to move on with their lives and thrive in this country.”
-Sushma Barakoti, Refugee Women's Network executive director
They are now on a completely different path than when we first met, and it has been incredible to witness their growth. It has also been rewarding to see this program make an impactful difference across so many areas. The women have gained access to stable, well-paid jobs in a respected profession, while ICS students benefit from having educators who share their backgrounds and languages, bridging gaps for both students and their families.
We recently celebrated as all three women completed the teacher certification program at Moreland University!
Seeing them reach this milestone filled me with immense pride and inspired me to consider other ways to expand the program to impact more immigrant and refugee women who can make a difference in the educational sector.
We know education needs innovation and this was an innovative opportunity.
As we continue to work with Refugee Women’s Network to secure funding and plan our next steps, one thing is clear: innovation in education requires investment.
To continue making a difference, we need your support. Please consider contributing to the Aspiring Teachers Program to empower more talented refugee women and transform the future of education for everyone. Would you join us and make a lasting impact?
Fran Carroll, ICS Executive Director, brings to ICS over 15 years of leadership and management experience in the for-profit and non-profit arena. For the last 3 years, Fran has served as the HR Manager, Interim Business Manager and most recently Director of Operations & Finance at ICS. In her spare time, when not spending time with her family, you can find Fran involved in the entrepreneurship arena in the Metro Atlanta area. She graduated from the Start:ME Southside Cohort in 2018 through Emory’s Goizuetta Business School. She loves entrepreneurship! In the past 3 years she has brought a lot of the entrepreneurial spirit to ICS. In 2020 she was listed as one of 11 parents who are making a difference!