As a receptionist at the New Canadians Centre (NCC), Amal Osman encounters many voices in a day. Listening to them, she began to ponder what it takes for people to feel a sense of belonging.

Think about that for a moment. If you were born here or moved here at any age, what connects you to the land and people around you?

Osman wanted to address that question.

Born in Toronto and raised across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and North America, Osman understands the challenges of adapting to a new society firsthand. She lived outside of Canada from ages six to 19.

Two years ago, frustrated by her social media job with an IT firm, she decided to reorient her career to “be more useful to the world.”

Her grandmother Khadija Warsame sent her a job posting for a Client Services Assistant at the NCC. It would draw on her knowledge of four languages and immerse her into a strong team of........

© Peterborough Examiner