Last week, Hopeworks got the great news that Marcel Njighe-Tezeh, a Hopeworks youth, had earned a permanent, high wage position at the Philadelphia Parking Authority in IT Support!
This is not just a job, but a transformative opportunity. Marcel described his journey recently in an essay:
Since I was 17, I have taken care of not just myself but also my beautiful family of 7 people. In high school, I had big dreams, but I imagined that my parents would take care of me. I didn’t think about how I would pay for college, or for food or housing. I didn’t imagine I would have to grow up and start paying for myself, and I didn’t realize to go to college I might have to take out a loan I couldn’t afford. I grew up far away from my extended family in Cameroon. To take care of my family, I have had to work overnight in a warehouse and by morning be on my way to school. Sustaining myself all this while has not been what anyone at my age would wish for but because of my dedication to success and the wellbeing of my family, I have accomplished the unexpected.
Marcel's accomplishment is amazing, but certainly not unexpected. It is an opportunity that he has earned. As his supervisor, Jacqui, shared, “You should be very proud of Marcel. He is quite the HIRE and we all are so happy for him.” In fact, because of Marcel’s success, the PPA has opened up another slot for another Hopeworks youth!
Congratulations to Marcel on his hard work and accomplishment!
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