Adjusting to a new life

Luka Igali and Abatak Maleth, refugees from Sudan by way of Kenya, take a Sunday stroll. (Bruce Bottomley Photo)

As first-year students, at Dalhousie University Luka Igali and Abatak Malueth are closing the first chapter of their lives at Dalhousie and finishing a very busy first semester. Not only have the two young men from Sudan had to adjust to university life over the past few months, they’ve also had to adjust to life in urban Canada.

While many students look at their heavy workload as a burden, Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth see it as an opportunity.

Both have come to Dalhousie through the WUSC (World University Service of Canada’s) Student Refugee Program. As a national NGO, WUSC is the only Canadian agency that pairs education with resettlement. Qualified and motivated students apply to the WUSC program from partner countries around the world in hopes of gaining admission to Canadian universities. In Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth’s case, their high school studies were completed in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, where both had lived for more than a decade.

The selection process is stringent, but for Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth their hard work paid off and, in July 2009, they got the news that they would be studying in Canada the following year. All Mr. Malueth knew of Canada was of British Columbia’s forestry industry, something he had learned in geography. For Mr. Igali, the year was full of anxious thoughts, unsure of what to expect in his new environment.

See photo essay: A day in the life (Photos by Bruce Bottomley)

On August 18, 2010, the waiting came to an end when both men arrived in Halifax. Change has been constant since then, but the positive outlook the young men share and their drive to succeed are serving them well.

Enrolled in the Bachelor of Science program, Mr. Malueth plans on majoring in biochemistry before attending medical school, with dreams of one day working in maternal health in his native Sudan. Mr. Igali is hoping to obtain a Bachelor of Engineering degree. He also looks forward to giving back to others when he has established himself, "as someone capable of getting access to resources I want to assist people especially the underprivileged," he says.

When speaking of their classes, both agree the facilities at Dal are unlike any they’ve experienced before. Living in residence is another plus; they’re only minutes from their classes and the Killam Library, where they work part-time.

While many students struggle to balance work and school, Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth take it in stride. "I like work because you feel satisfied that you are doing something productive with your time," says Mr. Malueth. Mr. Igali agrees, adding "I really enjoy it because you can see how you fit classes and work together, and I am learning new skills and getting work experience."

Although their free time is limited, Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth make the most of it, enjoying sports at the Dalplex and learning more about one of their most puzzling adjustments to date, the impending winter weather.

After a semester made possible by the support of the Dalhousie community and WUSC, Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth show immense gratitude for the program.

"I would like to thank WUSC for taking the best option, education," says Mr. Igali. "Through education, problems of all aspects of life such as war, famine, ignorance just to mention a few can be solved. I have always a belief that that education is the best equalizer."

With their diligent work ethic and modest personalities the future is wide open for both Mr. Igali and Mr. Malueth. But for now their focus remains on school and continuing to adjust to life in Halifax.

"It is challenging but that is what I am here for, I have come to university so that I think" says Mr. Malueth.

Every year, full-time Dalhousie students contribute $1.50 through their student fees to WUSC Dalhousie’s student refugee program. With the money, WUSC supports two students at Dalhousie, taking care of tuition, housing, books and monthly allowance. WUSC volunteers meet the newcomers at the airport, help them settle in residence and keep in touch with them as they adjust to life in Canada.

Alyson Murray, a fourth year psychology major, is the president of WUSC's Dalhousie chapter.