We asked members of newcomer and immigrant communities to share what it is like to live and work in Wellington County.
We are grateful to our participants for welcoming us into their lives and sharing their stories with us. Read on to learn how these passionate individuals and families turned challenges into opportunities and now call Wellington County their home.
Olena Michalchenkova | Seamstress and Fabric Artist, Olena’s Sewing Corner
Hello, my name is Olena, and I am a seamstress and artist in Fergus. I was born in the beautiful city of Kharkiv, Ukraine. When the war broke out in Ukraine, I took…
Judy and Bart Llamido | Executive Director at Long Term Care Home, DZ Truck Driver, Minto
Meet with Judy and Bart, residents and champions of the Filipino community in Palmerston, Town of Minto, Wellington County. The couple was born and raised in the…
Adam Alhawari | Business Owner, Painter, Drayton
My name is Adam, and I am a painter in the Drayton area. I was born and raised in Syria, just over an hour from Damascus. My family and I found ourselves in a…
Maneesha Sharma | Medical Aesthetician, Harriston
My name is Maneesha, and I am a medical aesthetician. I arrived in Canada with my young child in 2004 to be reunited with my husband who arrived in Canada as…
Saurabh Bose | Business Owner, Osmow’s Fergus
Hello everyone, my name is Saurabh, and I am the owner of Osmow’s in Fergus. I grew up in the Middle East in a country called Oman, where my dad was a school…
Nidal Almohamad | Homemaker, Harriston
I am Nidal, a newcomer to Canada. I have called Harriston, Wellington County my home since moving to the country a year and a half ago when the local church…
Ahmad Almohamad | Tiler, Cover Ups, Harriston
My name is Ahmad. I was born and bought up in Aleppo City, Syria. My family and I had to flee our home country due to the war. I was living in a camp in Turkey when…
Maulik Kumar Patel | Business Co-Owner, Freshmart, Drayton
My name is Maulik Kumar Patel, but around town, people know me as Mak. My journey to a new life in Canada began when my sister and her family moved here from India…
Indra Dosanjh | Artist, Fergus
My name is Indra, and my life has been a tapestry of resilience and adventure. I was raised in the country of Uganda. My family and I were forced to flee under an…
Mohammad Haque | Owner, Fergus Tandoori Grill, Fergus
I am Mohammad, originally from Bangladesh. I came to Canada with a few hundred dollars, an education, and a dream for a better life for both myself and my…
Disclaimer: Content represents individual participant’s journey, challenges and how they came to live and work in the County. These stories and photos are being published after review and approval from individual participants.
