Client Stories

Starting Again, With Purpose

Coming to Canada to pursue her MBA in Human Resources Management was the next step in Imaobong’s journey, and also a moment of starting over. Like many newcomers, she had to rebuild professional networks, confidence, and familiarity with a new job market.

Even while navigating those challenges, she gave back. Ima volunteers extensively across community and student associations, consistently stepping into roles that support newcomers, peers, and emerging leaders. She became involved with student advising spaces and Dean’s Services, building connections and belonging wherever she went.

She doesn’t wait to be invited to contribute.
She notices where support is needed and steps in.

Finding Working Gear at the Right Time

This past summer, Ima completed her MBA and began preparing for the next stage of her career. As she stepped into interviews and new opportunities, she came to Working Gear looking for professional interview attire that reflected her experience, education, and readiness.

Like many women, she assumed Working Gear might be “mostly for men.” Instead, she learned that 25% of Working Gear’s clients are women, and that the organization carries professional and job-appropriate clothing for women across industries, including administration, HR, frontline roles, and trades.

Inside the shop, Ima was met with care and respect. Volunteers took time to understand where she was headed and helped her select an outfit that felt right, polished, professional, and confidence-building.

She didn’t just leave with clothing.
She left feeling ready.

What Working Gear Makes Possible

Working Gear shows up at the moments when people are preparing to take their next step. For many clients, the barrier isn’t motivation or ability; it’s the cost of professional clothing or safety gear that stands between them and employment.

By removing that barrier, Working Gear opens doors.

Clients are welcomed without judgment and supported with dignity. They leave not just dressed for work, but feeling capable, prepared, and worthy of the opportunity ahead.

For Ima, someone who has spent her life advocating for others, this mattered deeply. Working Gear reflected the same values that drew her to HR in the first place: care, fairness, and humanity.

The reality of starting over

Like many newcomers, José entered a competitive job market where building a network takes time. He sent out more than 1,000 résumés, each one tuned to the role, but the callbacks didn’t come.

Housing was another hurdle. The only place that would rent to a newcomer was off East Hastings, a tiny shared space where strangers quickly became friends. He talked openly about those early days: instability, noise, even cockroaches. Not for sympathy, but because it was part of the truth of starting again in a new country.

A decisive pivot into construction

As his savings stretched thinner, one of his roommates suggested trying construction. José didn’t hesitate. He’s practical, adaptable, and willing to learn whatever the moment requires.

He took on any work available, collecting tickets, doing general labour, working around asbestos, and operating boom lifts, and he did all of this while completing his MBA in Business Analytics.

For months, José finished full construction shifts and then went straight into three days of MBA classes, completing twenty-four hours of coursework immediately after work. He described losing twenty-five pounds during this time, feeling the weight of long nights, sore shoulders, and the pressure of rebuilding life from scratch.

But what stayed with him wasn’t the hardship. It was the mindset:
“How you handle the things happening to you is how you get through them.”

That resilience is the heart of his story.

The career he is building

José hopes to step into full-time safety roles and eventually blend his two worlds: analytics and construction operations. He believes data can transform job sites — improving safety, efficiency, and planning. Long-term, he dreams of working in fintech or tech analytics, ideally with Sage, Microsoft, or EA.

This isn’t a distant dream. It’s a path he is actively creating.

What Working Gear meant to him

When José visited Working Gear, one detail stood out: gloves.

After months on site, he knows exactly how much proper PPE matters. He has seen nails go through hands, felt exposure shocks, and worn boots until they gave out. To him, the right gear isn’t just equipment, it’s stability, it’s safety, and it’s the ability to keep earning for the people who depend on him.

A Career Across West & Southern Africa

Olatunji began his career with the World Health Organization, where he saw firsthand how access to medicine shapes public-health outcomes. He then joined Pfizer in Nigeria, deepening his experience in medication access, community outreach, and health systems.

He later worked with AstraZeneca and eventually with Sanofi, first in Côte d’Ivoire and later in Johannesburg, where he helped design and implement childhood vaccination campaigns across Sub-Saharan Africa. His work connected him with ministries of health, public-health teams, and community organizations serving some of the most underserved populations.

A Defining Moment That Became His Life’s Purpose

During his early years in Nigeria, Olatunji witnessed a tragedy that would stay with him forever.

A mother arrived at a clinic with her infant burning with fever. The medication required was simple and inexpensive by Canadian standards, only a few dollars, but in the local system, payment was required before treatment.

The family could not afford it.

Without access to the medication, the baby’s condition deteriorated and, despite the efforts of clinic staff, the child suffered a seizure and passed away.

It was a preventable death, caused not by medical limitations but by a system where access to care depends on the ability to pay.

That moment became the foundation of Olatunji’s commitment to public health, education, and systemic change.

Searching for Stability, and a Future Not Limited by Passport

Despite his expertise, Nigeria’s spiralling inflation made stability impossible. Housing costs doubled. Salaries lost value within months. Friends working full-time struggled to afford basic necessities.

In South Africa, where he continued his vaccine-program work with Sanofi, visas for African professionals were capped at three years with no pathway to permanence.

He worked shoulder-to-shoulder with European and North American colleagues performing the same job, yet earned much less simply because of his passport.

He understood that talent was never the issue.
Recognition, and opportunity, depended on global systems he could not control.

He applied to the MBA program at University Canada West, and was accepted.

A Devastating Loss the Day Before He Left

Olatunji sold everything he owned, prepared his documents, and packed for Canada.

The day before his flight, his mother died unexpectedly.

She had been his greatest supporter, the person who believed in every risk he took, encouraged every dream, and stood by him throughout his journey. Devastated, he didn’t know whether to stay for her funeral or proceed with the opportunity she had urged him to pursue.

He chose what he knew she would want.
Through heartbreak and grief, he boarded the plane.

Starting Over in Canada, And Facing New Barriers

Newcomer life in Vancouver was tougher than anything he expected.

He encountered exploitative housing targeted at newcomers, $2,000 per person to share a single room. His savings disappeared. He studied full-time, worked part-time, and applied to countless jobs.

He finally secured work in construction while completing his MBA, but couldn’t afford the $350 safety boots required to begin.

He had the opportunity. He had the determination.
What he didn’t have was the gear.

Finding Support at Working Gear

When he came to Working Gear, he expected only gear. Instead, he found community, encouragement, and opportunity.

Austin introduced him to the Community Internship Program, a paid internship designed to support job-seekers who bring skill, ambition, and lived experience, but face barriers restarting their lives in Canada.

Bringing Global Experience to Community Work

Olatunji brought global public-health insight, hands-on experience across multiple countries, business training through his MBA, and a deep commitment to helping others. He quickly became an integral part of Working Gear’s operations and program development.

He supports clients, strengthens systems behind the scenes, and contributes his lived experience to help shape programs that are more responsive to newcomers and job-seekers facing similar barriers.

Valedictorian, Dedicated to His Mother

Despite immense loss, financial strain, and rebuilding his life from scratch, Olatunji excelled academically.

He became valedictorian, and his commencement ceremony took place this December 2025.

He dedicated his achievement to his mother, whose belief in him carried him across continents.

A New Beginning for His Family

Ben’s move to Canada wasn’t driven by instability or crisis; it was driven by family. His wife, a dedicated nurse who had been working in Ghana, made the first move to Canada to begin building a stable foundation for their future.

Once she was settled, Ben made the decision to join her. He brought their three children, ages 12, 8, and 4, so the family could finally live together in one place after years of being spread across different countries.

They did not come out of fear, but out of hope.

The Working Gear Turning Point

Starting over in Canada brought challenges Ben never expected. After landing his first job in construction, he was told he would need to pay $1,000 upfront for required safety gear, a cost impossible for a newcomer rebuilding from scratch.

In early 2025, Ben visited Working Gear after seeing one of our posters. He arrived expecting only the basics: boots, a hard hat, rain gear, the items he needed to start working.

But the construction job never called him back.

When Austin learned what had happened, he told Ben about Working Gear’s newly launched paid internship program.

It was one of those rare moments when timing, circumstance, and purpose align: a door closed, and another opened.

Ben began his internship with Working Gear in May 2025.

From his first day, he brought a presence shaped by years of global service, humility, steadiness, compassion, and a remarkable ability to see potential where others might see limitations. He leads quietly, grounded in purpose rather than ego.

As Executive Director, I am incredibly proud of Ben, one of our very first community interns. This pilot project has been transformative for Working Gear: it expanded our capacity, brought invaluable global experience into our organization, and created the opportunity to offer meaningful Canadian job experience to people who are struggling to break through the barriers newcomers often face. And because of our donors’ generosity, we’ve been able to extend Ben’s paid contract into 2026.

A Future Built on Purpose

Ben’s long-term goal is to recertify as a social worker in Canada so he can continue the work he has dedicated his life to: building communities where everyone has a fair shot at stability, opportunity, and a meaningful future.

Today, Ben is rebuilding his life in Vancouver, jogging in the mornings, exploring parks with his wife and children, reconnecting with the land around him, and creating the stability he once worked so hard to help others find.

Leaving Colombia was not an easy decision. “I had to flee to save my life,” he says. “Canada seemed like a safer place. I had heard good things about it—the peace, the opportunity, and the chance to build a new life.”
Upon arriving in Canada, Lowin walked from Peace Arch to a local community centre in Surrey, where he was referred to Working Gear and an emergency shelter on East Hastings. This shelter became his home for the next nine months, and Working Gear became his place of refuge and stability as he began to rebuild his life from the ground up.

“Working Gear gave me what I needed to start over, they helped me when I had nothing. I decided to volunteer because I know how it feels to be in a new country with nothing—no job, no language, no support. I want to help others overcome those fears and show them that there’s hope.”

When asked about the future, Lowin shares that he is determined to finish his architecture degree which he had to leave behind in Colombia. “I want to finish my studies, perfect my English, and use my skills to build safer communities. Canada gives me the chance to dream of a better future.” His passion for construction, rooted in architecture, drives him. “Roofing is tough, but it allows me to work with my hands and create something lasting. Every day, I’m learning and growing, and that excites me.”

Despite the challenges, Lowin has never lost hope. His story is one of survival, perseverance, and the power of community. “My advice to someone in a similar situation is to trust organizations like Working Gear. They helped me when I had nothing and they will do the same for you. When you make an appointment at Working Gear, you’re not just getting gear—you’re getting the support of a community that cares.”

Lowin also shares a heartfelt message for those who support Working Gear: “Thank you to everyone who donates or volunteers. Your support is changing lives. It’s not just about giving someone a coat or boots—it’s about giving them the chance to rebuild. Working Gear helped me when I was at my lowest. Without their help, I don’t know where I would be. The impact of your support reaches far beyond just the person receiving the gear. It affects entire families and communities.”

To support herself, Jennifer earned her Traffic Control Person (TCP) certification and began working long shifts between classes. That’s when she discovered Working Gear.

“In Nigeria, charities like this don’t exist,” she says. “If you can’t afford the tools, you can’t work. But Working Gear gave me everything, boots, a jacket, gloves, and they treated me with such respect. It gave me hope.”

When her husband, Paul, a PhD lecturer, later arrived in Canada, he too came to Working Gear before beginning work in construction. “We both had to start from the ground up,” Jennifer says. “That’s what being open-minded means, being willing to learn, to start again, and to rebuild together.”

Their three children, ages 10, 9, and 7, finally joined them this summer. “It was the happiest day of my life,” she smiles. “My daughter wants to be a doctor. She believes anything is possible, and that’s exactly why we came.”

Between overnight care-aide shifts, her MBA studies, and TCP work, Jennifer somehow still finds time to volunteer and pursue a mental-health certificate. Her joy and optimism are contagious. “When I’m tired, I play music and dance with my kids,” she says, laughing. “We sing, we laugh, joy keeps us strong.”

For Jennifer, every act of kindness creates ripples that reach far beyond one person.

“All good deeds have a ripple effect,” she says. “When I came to Working Gear, I got help. Then I brought my husband, and he got help. That support didn’t stop with us, it helped our children, our friends, and our community. You never know how far one act of kindness can go. It just keeps moving.”

Today, Jennifer dreams of working in management, in agriculture or health care, where she can blend her skills, experience, and compassion to help others grow. She continues to share Working Gear’s name with everyone she meets, knowing that small acts of generosity can transform whole communities.

“Ignorance is expensive,” she says. “But an open mind and a generous heart? Those are priceless. That’s what builds a better world, one ripple at a time.”

While work gear may seem like just a basic necessity—safety boots, a high-visibility vest, and a hard hat—for Keith, these items became far more than mere protection. “They became tools for mental peace and financial relief,” he explains. Working Gear offered a safe, judgment-free environment that allowed him to focus on what truly mattered: providing for his child.

“It wasn’t just about having boots to protect my feet on a construction site or a warm jacket in winter,” Keith reflects. “It was about having the confidence to show up every day, knowing I had the right gear to do my job well. More importantly, it meant I didn’t have to worry about the added financial strain of buying expensive work clothes and equipment.” This support enabled him to focus on essentials like paying bills, buying groceries, and ensuring his child had what they needed.

Looking back, Keith feels fortunate for the support he received. “Growing up in Vancouver, I never imagined I’d be in a position where I needed help,” he admits. But as a single father, he learned that no one truly does it alone. The gear he received made a significant difference in his ability to keep moving forward during tough times.

“Walking into Working Gear was like finding a warm embrace after a long, cold journey,” Farshad recalls. “I felt seen and supported in a way I hadn’t in a long time.”

Recognizing the challenges faced by fellow newcomers, many of whom lacked proper clothing and were unaware of available resources, Farshad decided to give back by volunteering at Working Gear. His multilingual abilities in Turkish, Pashto, English, and Persian allowed him to connect with a diverse group of clients. He has since taken on various jobs while awaiting the accreditation of his nursing degree, including landscaping, construction, home renovations, painting, cleaning, and hospitality.

Although his dream of becoming a nurse remains strong, Farshad understands that the process will take time. In the meantime, he has become an all-star volunteer, bringing positivity and encouragement to everyone he assists. By sharing his own story, he helps lift others up, showing them that support is available and that they are not alone in their struggles.

“At Working Gear, I found not just clothes, but a community,” Farshad says. “I realized I could give back and help others who are struggling, just like I once was.”

To Farshad, Working Gear is more than just a resource it’s a family. “Here, I don’t feel like a foreigner. I feel Canadian. I feel I belong,” he says. His commitment to helping fellow refugees and newcomers reflects his belief that even small acts of kindness can create significant change.

In recent months, Working Gear has seen a 200% increase in newcomers accessing our services as they begin new lives here. Notably, 60% of our volunteers are former clients, like Farshad, who have transitioned from receiving assistance to giving back as volunteers.

Farshad’s journey is a powerful example of how community support can transform lives. Having experienced firsthand the importance of addressing the needs of those who feel lost and alone, he now helps others find essential resources while turning his own painful experiences into a source of strength and hope for those around him.