Supporting Families: Recent refugee asylee Zohair succeeds in employment journey
Zohair Al Wakaa
On a recent spring morning in downtown San Jose, Zohair Al Wakaa wears a crisp white shirt and a welcoming smile as he readies to see clients for his job as a barber. It has been a journey for him to be working again in his profession for many years.
Zohair, who is Syrian, came to the U.S. with his wife and children three years ago. A refugee asylee, he and his family fled for their safety, traveling through Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan to eventually arrive in the U.S. in August 2020.
To find a job, Zohair connected to Catholic Charities Employment Network and Frida Benjamin, who is part of the program’s Individual Placement and Support services team. She began assisting him with his search process as the family received multiple support services from other local social services agencies.
“At first, it was difficult for him,” Frida says. “We would use a translation app on my phone to communicate. His initial job interviews and placements were not successful, with one hiring manager refusing to even speak with Zohair because of the language barrier. He was so broken that day, apologizing to me a million times for wasting my time. I reassured him that he definitely was not wasting my time, and I expressed my sadness for the manager not giving him a chance.” Soon after, he successfully found a job as a truck driver, making deliveries for a food specialty company.
His ultimate dream job was to return to his profession as a barber and eventually own a barber shop, as he did in his country for many years. “I was always determined to get a job to support my family,” said Zohair, who also has worked as a ride-share driver to make extra money.
In the months since his arrival, he has quickly achieved some milestone accomplishments: Learning English, obtaining his driver’s license, volunteering at his mosque, and finally receiving a license to work as a barber in Santa Clara County.
Zohair says: “I love it here in America. Now I’m good, and I want to help others.”
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At Catholic Charities sites around the county, we are offering families more than just a one-time, single service. Our goal is to provide families a path to achieve economic mobility and tools to help left themselves out of poverty. And we are with them on their journeys every step of the way.
