Lunkulu’s Story

Hi, I’m Lunkulu. I arrived in Canada from the Democratic Republic of Congo when I was a teenager. My journey hasn’t been an easy one. As a young, black immigrant, prejudice was everywhere and opportunities were hard to come by. No matter how hard I tried, I lived with the constant feeling of falling behind and not knowing where to find help.

I finally decided to relocate from British Columbia to Ontario, only to end up in a homeless shelter in Peel. This was one of the hardest experiences I’ve lived through. Having no place to call home made it hard to be hopeful and plan for my future. One day, with nothing to lose I attended a workshop called “Housing 101”, hosted by REST Centres for the residents in my shelter. It made me feel hopeful for the first time in ages and I immediately reached out to them for help. They quickly matched me with a family in their Bridge Of Hope program where I finally found the stability and community I’d be looking for since I arrived in Canada. They also gave me rental subsidy each month, which is such a relief and lets me focus on finding full-time employment and learning new skills.

I know I still have a long road ahead, but the staff at REST Centres help me set goals and take steps to achieve them. Right now, I’m working on my vocational skills needed to work in construction and planning to be a young entrepreneur.

I want to share my story with other youth because if I can do it, they can change their lives too. Dreams really can come true.