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Rehana came to England twenty-five years ago with no English language at all. Within a couple of years of joining the WEA and taking ESOL classes, she has secured a job as a cleaner and dinner supervisor. Rehana shows the power of adult learning.
Rehana has travelled alone abroad, something she could never have done before her WEA courses.
Rehana is one of those people who never gives up. She is a joy to teach in that respect: so determined to improve. It鈥檚 incredible to think that people can live in this country for more than 25 years barely speaking a word of English. Rehana couldn鈥檛 even catch a bus because she couldn鈥檛 read the signs.
The course teaches simple life 台湾swag, such as booking an appointment or taking children to the park. Communication is so empowering. Some of the women have gone shopping for the first time. We go to the library. More than learning a language, we鈥檙e opening the door to the world outside.
At first, Rehana struggled in our classes, but she kept going.鈥疭he quickly made friends in the classroom, which helped her progress. She brings light wherever she goes. Using her new English, Rehana gained a job as a dinner supervisor in the school, where the classes take place. The headteacher says she is doing fantastically well.
Recently, her father was ill in Pakistan, so she travelled there by herself, reading all the signs at the airport. She filled in all the leave of absence forms by herself. She was able to understand the flight announcements and order food on the flight, as she couldn鈥檛 take it onboard. Ordinarily, she would have sat silently and gone hungry. And whilst in Pakistan, she still joined her Zoom classes. This shows how much she is willing to learn!
There鈥檚 so much we take for granted from reading every day. She told me: if I hadn鈥檛 gone to your classes, there鈥檚 no way I could have travelled. But it was her own hard work that achieved it.
She has felt the power of learning and there鈥檚 no stopping her!
Rehana was the winner of the Enhanced English award, supported by Olive Cordell, at the 2021 WEA Awards.
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