In Mount Sion CBS, sometimes, it is the smallest things that can make the biggest difference.
A smile. A kind word. A moment of friendship.
Shakhib- Mount Sion CBS
For Shakhib, who travelled for 15 months from Afghanistan before reaching safety in Ireland, those moments have helped him build a new life in Waterford.
And for Antonio, who moved here from Portugal, kindness and inclusion helped turn an unfamiliar place into somewhere he could call home.
The two Mount Sion CBS students joined The Big Breakfast Blaa this morning as WLR marked One Day Many Voices, sharing powerful stories of starting again, finding friendship and looking towards the future.
“I’m choosing my future”
Shakhib is now studying for his Leaving Certificate at Mount Sion, determined to succeed and build a future he can be proud of.
But getting to this point has been a long and difficult journey. He left his childhood home in Afghanistan, leaving family, friends and the life he knew behind.
For 15 months, he travelled here, immersed in fear and uncertainty, without the personal or financial security many of us take for granted. The days and the nights brought unimaginable fear and very real dangers.
Then came Ireland. Then came Waterford. And then came Mount Sion.
Support within a School of Sanctuary
Shakhib arrived with very little English and a fear of failure. What he found, however, were people willing to help him find his feet.
Teachers who encouraged him. Classmates who included him. And those little moments of kindness that meant so much.
He spoke movingly about being grateful for “every smile, every kind word and every moment of friendship.”
He hasn’t forgotten where he came from. He hasn’t forgotten what he left behind. And he hasn’t forgotten the 15 months of fear that brought him here.
But Shakhib is looking forward. His past is part of his story, but he is determined to choose his future.
From Portugal to Mount Sion CBS
Antonio’s journey was very different.
He moved to Ireland from Portugal and, while he already had a good command of English, he still had to navigate a new culture, new surroundings and a completely different social environment.
Once again, friendship made the difference.
The welcome he received at Mount Sion helped him settle, find his place and eventually begin to think of Waterford as home.
Today, Antonio is a proud member of the school’s School of Sanctuary community.
And having experienced what it feels like to be the new person, he understands just how important that first smile or friendly word can be.
Because you never know what someone has been through before they walk through the school gates.
Two journeys. One powerful message.
Shakhib and Antonio have very different stories. But both spoke about the importance of being welcomed, included and given the chance to belong.
Their message is a simple one. Kindness matters.
For someone starting again, a smile might be more important than you realise.
A kind word might stay with them for years. And an invitation to join in might be the moment they stop feeling like an outsider.
Powerful testimonials from two students of Mount Sion CBS, shared with WLR as we mark One Day Many Voices.
Two journeys. Two new beginnings. And a reminder that sometimes, making someone feel at home starts with simply making them feel welcome.
Listen back to The Big Breakfast Blaa with Ollie and Dymphna, weekdays from 6am to 10am.
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