Dami Fakolujo, a Nigerian-Canadian living in Ottawa, has made it his personal mission to help newcomers to Canada feel at home. As a former immigrant himself, Dami understands the challenges of adjusting to a new country and culture.
When the Bamigbaiye family, a Nigerian family newly arrived in Canada, moved into the neighborhood, Dami immediately reached out to them. He invited the family over for a backyard barbecue, where the aroma of familiar Nigerian dishes filled the air and lively conversations flowed. Dami wanted the Bamigbaiye family to feel a sense of community and belonging from the start.
Over the following weeks, Dami took the Bamigbaiye children on trips to the library, ski hills, and tobogganing areas, introducing them to quintessential Canadian activities. He helped the parents navigate the bureaucratic processes of obtaining driver’s licenses and enrolling the kids in school.
Dami’s support went beyond just practical matters – he shared insights into Canadian customs and norms, easing the family’s transition. Reflecting on his own journey as a Nigerian immigrant, Dami felt a deep need to pay forward the kindness he had received when he first arrived in Canada over a decade ago. He understood the importance of having a support system and wanted to ensure the Bamigbaiye family had the same opportunities he had been afforded.
Dami’s commitment to helping fellow immigrants is a testament to the power of community and the importance of paying it forward. His actions not only enrich the lives of the families he supports but also a strong source of inspiration to those who believe in the power of kindness.
If you don’t find any reason to be kind, it is because you’re yet to realize the many graces and blessings of the Universe upon you. Once the reality of Nature’s kindness dawns on you, you’ll see every need to pay it forward.
