By XAVIER SMERDON
WHEN Saida Sheikh first left her home country of Somalia she could not speak a word of English.
Today the 23-year-old runs classes where she helps other young people from a non-English speaking background with their studies.
Ms Sheikh is a coordinator for a program run at Werribee Secondary College and Werribee Primary School by the New Hope Foundation.
The program assists students whose parents might not speak English stay on top of their assignments and homework.
“Basically the students are usually from a refugee background and their parents don’t speak English so they need some extra help from us,” Ms Sheikh said.
Ms Sheikh spent eight years in New Zealand before moving to Truganina four months ago.
“I’ve been through a similar experience as these students so I know how difficult it can be,” she said.
“When you arrive in a new country everything is different, not just the language but the culture and the food, you have to learn it all from scratch.
“A lot of the students don’t understand the transition process. Sometimes they don’t have enough motivation because of the language barrier, so we want to fill that gap.
“If we can make their lives a bit easier other things will follow.”
Ms Sheikh said she was hoping to expand the program to the Laverton area and eventually all over Wyndham.
Volunteer tutors are currently required to help spread the program.
