Helping all newcomers
realize their full potential

Catholic Centre for Immigrants – Ottawa

Finding a new family

“When I arrived in the city in 2016 to study business at the University of Ottawa, I felt like I had landed in the middle of nowhere and was very lonely,” says Seka Wilfried Adon, an international student from the Ivory Coast. “I only had a few friends in Gatineau,...

Youth benefit from art program

By Claudine Nduwimana “Art is my talent and I came to CCI to give the most valuable treasure I have -- art skills, my talent.” Jennifer Macklem is an art professor at the University of Ottawa. She joined the Catholic Centre for Immigrants (CCI) in March as an art...

Fatma says, thank you Canada!

By Claudine Nduwimana A little more than two years ago, Canada welcomed 25,000 Syrian refugees over the course of three months. Thousands of those refugees were children and teens who brought a new culture to our local schools. For many, it was the first opportunity...

Honorary degree for Carl Nicholson

Editor's Note: The following text appeared in the Algonquin College convocation program. For more than 50 years, Carl Nicholson has been a man with a mission. In his own words, “I’m driven to build a better world.” By any standard, he has been highly successful in...

Rebuilding dreams, rebuilding lives

Every morning Wael drops his wife off at English classes while he makes his way to his furniture shop. His young children are in school while his oldest son works part-time at a grocery store. It’s a typical Canadian life. Two years ago, though, life for...

CCI soccer league kicks off season 2

By Claudine Nduwimana It's only year 2 but already the Catholic Centre for Immigrants Youth Soccer League is set to grow. With the season ready to kick off on June 25, this year the league will see a girls' division as well as a boys' division. The...

SYRIAN REFUGEES