This is a story about the courage and resilience of M, a mother of five from Uganda, and also a story about the generosity and compassion of the community who came together to support her and her family.
Uganda has been under the rule of a brutal dictator for 30 years. Because they dared to speak out in support of the opposition party, M’s husband disappeared and their home was completely destroyed. To protect her family, M knew she had to flee her country, sadly leaving an infant son in the care of her extended family.
She arrived in Boston in the winter of 2018 with her four children as an asylum seeker. After sheltering in a church basement in Waltham with no heat or shower, she and her children came to us through an organization we were partnering with at the time.
Helping to support a family of five on their journey to independence was a big challenge for our small group. Because M could not legally work for 6-8 months, we needed to provide shelter, food and clothing as well as settling the children, ages five through seventeen, into the school system in Melrose.
It is amazing to recall the community of people who opened their hearts and homes to this joyful family in their time of need. With the help of this larger network, we provided shelter in four different host homes and plenty of clothing. Members and friends stepped up to help with transportation for the children, navigating the school system, donating chromebooks, including the children in learning pods throughout the COVID pandemic, and so much more. In the meantime, M was determined to earn her GED and again the community stepped up to provide tutoring as needed. When it came time for her exams, fees were donated for each test and a relay of volunteers transported her to and from the testing location.
Once securing work as a home health aide, M was able to rent an apartment in Melrose. Our group continued to support her in small ways, such as delivering a home cooked meal when she worked long hours, or helping drive the kids to summer camp at the YMCA.
Now living outside of the Boston metropolitan area, M is a homeowner, fully supporting her family. She works long, exhausting hours in the home healthcare industry. Her oldest son is working and helping with expenses. Her younger son was hosted by the family of his best friend, which allowed him to graduate from Melrose High School in 2024, where he stood out as a state All Star in soccer and track, and will be attending Fitchburg State College. And the girls are thriving in both academics and sports at their new school. Although they have been in the United States legally for over five years, their asylum hearing is still pending and their journey continues.
Immigrant Support Alliance
P.O. Box 761121
Melrose, MA 02176