Fatoumata Barry
École secondaire de La Cité

It certainly takes audacity and courage to leave one’s homeland at the age of 14 and head to an unknown, snow-covered country where they speak a completely different language. However, this is what Fatoumata Barry did when she said farewell to her native Guinea to come live in Québec. A year and a half later, the Secondary 1 student at La Cité high school speaks fluent French (with a Québec accent to boot), has established a good circle of friends, is involved in her community and at school and hopes more than anything else to graduate from high school and become a nurse.

Fatoumata Barry arrived in Québec to join her brother and sister on 2 December 2008 and recalls the cultural and climatic shock she experienced. It was the first time she’d ever seen snow and she quickly realized that things were about to change for good. But wasting time getting adapted was simply out of the question. Just days after her arrival, Fatoumata was already taking steps to enrol in school and thus fully embrace her new life.

“When I arrived at school, I was really shy and didn’t talk much because I only knew a few words of French. But learning is so important to me that I never got discouraged and worked hard to learn the language,” she points out.

From the outset, Fatoumata showed a great deal of determination in both her studies and her French lessons. To speed up the learning process, she set herself the task of reading for certain periods of time every day both at school and at home and thus developed an excellent relationship with her best friend of the hour: the dictionary.

“At first, we communicated a lot through sign language but we always managed to understand each other. It was obvious that she really wanted to learn, and the speed at which she mastered our language is really impressive,” recalls Céline Milot, Fatoumata’s special needs teacher.

But books and the dictionary were not enough for Fatoumata. She wanted to progress even more rapidly and what better way to learn a new language and new culture at top speed than by integrating and getting involved. The minute she began to feel more at ease, she started participating in various lunchtime activities. Then in summer 2009, she took part, as an apprentice counsellor, in a special summer camp program for disabled youngsters organized by the City of Québec.

“I loved the experience because I felt useful and learned a great deal. I like to help people and offer a sympathetic ear. That’s why I want to be a nurse,” the student asserts.

When she returned to school last September, Fatoumata was a totally different person. She had gained new confidence and was thus better prepared to face the challenges at school and build lasting friendships with her fellow students. She also got increasingly involved, giving of her time every week reading to people with a mental deficiency and doing volunteer work for the Relais de l’espérance organization’s food and clothing sorting centre.

“Her discipline, good humour, perseverance, positive attitude, resourcefulness and caring nature make her an extraordinary learner,” writes the school’s vice-principal Laurie L’Hérault. “She is a role model, source of inspiration and positive leader for our students,” she adds.

In the course of the year, Fatoumata also received the Méritas award for the most deserving special needs student and this further fuelled her desire to learn. Without sustained and constant effort, she knows she would never be where she is today and this same effort is now opening many doors to her future.

“This year, I feel a lot more comfortable at school and with my friends. I like to learn but  I also like to give. I am proud of myself and I know now that I will succeed in everything I undertake,” she says in conclusion.

Fatoumata Barry
École secondaire de La Cité