Elmira, her husband and three children (Rayila, Ibrigham and Niyaz) arrived here as a refugee family from Russia in August of 2006.  They were first sponsored by a church through Lutheran Social Services. They contacted the Literacy Council of Greater Waukesha because the family needed four tutors: one for Elmira , and one for each of her children.  When they arrived in Wisconsin , the children had some medical issues because they were malnourished and did not receive proper medical care in their country.  While their church helped them with their personal needs, four Literacy Council tutors were assigned to them in October 2006.  These tutors helped the children learn English so they would be able to make friends at school, function socially and help the children with understanding homework.  Two of the children were placed at Central Middle School and were overwhelmed with the fast pace and the amount of homework they had to complete.  Their mother did not have the literacy skills to help them with this. 

After one year of one-on-one tutoring, Elmira , got her driver’s license.  Her tutor helped Elmira with her reading so she could understand the material.  Elmira did not learn to drive in her country. She is now working with her tutor on ways to help her children with their homework.  Elmira’s tutor helped her with job applications and practice interviews and Elmira got a job.  Both Elmira and her oldest daughter, Rayila spoke at the Literacy Council’s Celebration of Literacy last fall, sharing their story and thanking the LCGW tutors.  Elmira and Rayila spoke to more than 100 people.  In addition to Rayila doing well in school, her artwork appeared in the Waukesha School District calendar.  The other two children, Niyaz and Ibrigham, are also doing well in all their classes.  All three children would like to attend a university in the future.