When Ugandan immigrant Isabella Ndibarekera officially became a Canadian citizen two months ago, she said she felt a sense of pride for her adopted nation she didn't fully expect. “When I was taking the oath, I was like, ‘Oh wow.
When Ugandan immigrant Isabella Ndibarekera officially became a Canadian citizen two months ago, she said she felt a sense of pride for her adopted nation she didn't fully expect.
“When I was taking the oath, I was like, ‘Oh wow. This is for my country,' ” recalled the Cochrane mother of three. “It gave me a different feeling. You're not just passing by, you're not just here … but you're home.
“You feel like now you have another place to call home. ”
Ndibarekera is one of hundreds of immigrants from around the world that now call Cochrane home, and it's that healthy diversity that Cochrane Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) wants to highlight during the town's second annual CommUNITY picnic on Aug. 27.
“People who live outside of Calgary think there's not much diversity. I think Cochrane really is a total different story, ” said co-ordinator Nadine Islas of Rocky View Immigrant Services, adding families from the United Kingdom, Mexico, France, the Philippines, Syria, Mongolia, Albania, Portugal and more have moved into town over the years.
“The hope is to showcase all of these cultures - give them the power to … learn about other people and bring the community together in an informal way to share, mingle and celebrate. ”
Ndibarekera, a public health professional, and her husband Simon Ongom, with an accounting background, applied in 2009 to come to Canada under the Federal Skilled Workers Immigration Program. They arrived in Ontario in 2012 with two of their children, Abigail Uyungrwoth and Matthew Rwothumio and moved to Alberta one year later. Young Blessed Rwothumara, now three, was born in Calgary, and the family chose to settle in Cochrane's Riversong neighbourhood in 2016.
Ndibarekera said she loves the variety of activities her children are able to take part in around town, including at the Cochrane Public Library and Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre.
“I find this community family and community-oriented. My kids can get into programs, ” she said, adding Cochranites have also been welcoming and kind. “People here are warm, they're hospitable … people are concerned about you, even if they don't know you so much. ”
FCSS and Rocky View Immigration Services helped the family to connect with many of those local resources, and Islas most recently worked with Ndibarekera to navigate the citizenship application process and prepare for her exam.
“She gave me the book. It was really handy for me, because it gave me an opportunity to read and understand Canada more than just what I see, ” said Ndibarekera, referring to the Discover Canada citizenship test study guide. “They helped me a lot. ”
The CommUNITY picnic takes place from 12 to 4 p.m. on Aug. 27 at the Historic Cochrane Ranche site.
The gathering - which is free of charge and open to everyone - will feature cultural crafts, dances, games, food and more.
The event will also include a ceremony for 25 new area residents to take the oath of citizenship to officially become Canadians.
Ndibarekera said she's excited to know another group of people will soon feel the same sense of pride at finding home as she did just two months ago.
“We believe Canada is giving us the dream life we always longed for. ”
