Six days a week, Marzia studies English, writing and math at the Hope Learning Center (HLC). Five years ago she and her four children moved to Minneapolis from Afghanistan and became tenants of Hope Community. When she first arrived, Marzia remembers how hard it was to understand English.
Today she speaks and reads English fluently. Marzia’s eldest daughter is a nurse’s assistant and a graduate of Minneapolis Community and Technical College. Her son aspires to be an engineer. And her two youngest children are involved in Hope’s tutoring program with Project for Pride in Living. Over the years, Marzia’s community has grown – daily HLC classes, summer involvement in the neighborhood garden and morning visits by the fireplace with the Hope staff. When asked what Hope means to her, Marzia expresses, “The people of Hope have become like a family to me.”