Odette was raised in a rural village in Burkina Faso, West Africa with her extended family of 30 people. When she moved to the capitol city of Ouagadougou she adapted to a very different way of life with money and food bought in markets. In 2016 Odette and her children moved to the United States, arriving in Maine on Christmas Day, knowing no one.
Since then she has adapted to yet another very different way of life in Maine. The organization called In Her Presence was integral in helping Odette to feel she was seen and supported while quickly learning English. When she relocated to the Bath area she invested herself in a community building organization called Mid-Coast New Mainers Group where she now serves on their board. Through this organization she was invited to work in a community garden during this Covid/BLM/political summer. Gardening was transformational for her and gave her satisfaction beyond her expectations.
Odette currently studies nursing at University of Maine Augusta. Through nursing she has learned, more than ever, that we can be known by strangers through our shared humanity--we are all connected.
Music:
Song Referenced: Pink sings "What About Us?"
Closing song: Amy Koita-Faman sings "Djiguy."
Since then she has adapted to yet another very different way of life in Maine. The organization called In Her Presence was integral in helping Odette to feel she was seen and supported while quickly learning English. When she relocated to the Bath area she invested herself in a community building organization called Mid-Coast New Mainers Group where she now serves on their board. Through this organization she was invited to work in a community garden during this Covid/BLM/political summer. Gardening was transformational for her and gave her satisfaction beyond her expectations.
Odette currently studies nursing at University of Maine Augusta. Through nursing she has learned, more than ever, that we can be known by strangers through our shared humanity--we are all connected.
Music:
Song Referenced: Pink sings "What About Us?"
Closing song: Amy Koita-Faman sings "Djiguy."
| new_mainers_speak_244-7_odette_zouri_burkina_faso_dec_13_2020.mp3 |
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