Daryna arrived in Canada in November of 2023 from Ukraine, together with her five-year-old son. Before the war, she describes her life as peaceful and normal: “I had a job I loved in the printing industry and a big family close to me. But one day, everything changed. My son and I had to leave our home and our country.” Daryna and her son then travelled from Kyiv to Saskatoon over the course of three days, marking the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. “At that time, my older sister and my mother were already in Canada, so it helped us feel less alone. We were also very happy to have the support of a wonderful Canadian family—without them, it would have been almost impossible to get through such big changes in our lives.”

The first challenge that Daryna faced upon arriving in Saskatoon was her son’s struggle to adapt to life in a new country. When they first arrived in Canada, he was very reluctant to engage with others in English, resulting in him not having much contact with others outside of his family.

A few months after arriving in Canada, Daryna and her son participated in BrightStart! at GGP, our program designed for mothers and their preschoolers to create a network of support and develop their language and social skills. Daryna admits that the class was initially daunting, but as the weeks progressed, the instructors, Jasmine and Ally, played a crucial role in helping her and her family adjust to life in Canada.

Daryna recounts the tremendous help that GGP were to her and her family when first coming to Canada. “My settlement worker, Ines, helped me with documents and housing. Tetiana helped me get my first job as a interpreter for Ukrainians at GGP. Iryna always supported me and gave me advice when I had questions. And of course, there was Liudmyla; she was my mother’s settlement worker. When I came to Canada, my mom was sick with cancer. Liudmyla helped us a lot with documents and doctor appointments. Her support was very important to us. As you can see, GGP helped me a lot! And of course—the scholarship! I’m very grateful.”

In 2024, Daryna was one of five recipients of the Global Gathering Place Scholarship. She shares, “when I received the scholarship from GGP, I realized that it wasn’t just an opportunity to study, but also proof that I should keep moving forward and trying. When I applied for the scholarship, I was sure I wouldn’t get it, but then I asked myself, “What will I lose if I try?” Don’t be afraid to try, even if things don’t work out at first. Believe in yourself and keep moving forward!”

The scholarship enabled Daryna to pursue a Graphic Design Course at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, where she enhanced her proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite, graphic design, and digital image enhancement. Daryna has been thrilled to use her design skills to create prints for clothing as a hobby and is hopeful she will land a job where she can fully utilize her expertise and continue to grow in this field.

Thanks to the scholarship, Daryna was able to open up doors to new opportunities both in graphic design and in personal growth. “Since last year, I’ve become even more motivated to keep learning and improving. The scholarship not only supported my studies but also gave me the confidence to explore new paths in my career and life.”