Abubaker Mohammed and his wife Madina became U.S. citizens in 2019. Their five children became citzens in August 2020. It was an important achievement for the Mohammeds on a journey far from their beginnings in Sudan.

The pair applied and moved to the United States in 2014 to improve their lives and provide a better education for their children, Abubaker says. “Sudan is poor in employment, it is really hard to live there unless you have a business,” he says. “There are not enough resources.” After a short stop in New York City the family moved to Des Moines on the advice of friends who live here, and were able to move into Oakridge Neighborhood within just a few months.

“Once we were at Oakridge it felt like this was really the place we were looking for,” Abubaker says. “A nice place, a nice neighborhood and nice people. It felt like home.”

Things quickly fell into place for the family. Abubaker volunteered for a year in the Oakridge office, where he said he found a nice team and staff working as a family who encouraged and helped him a lot. He was offered a part-time job. Now he serves as a case manager in Oakridge’s Family and Workforce Programs, teaching adults driver’s education and helping people on everything from getting insurance to applying for Medicare, from translating important information to assisting with job applications and new resident orientations. He has also served as the resident liaison on the Oakridge Neighborhood board of directors.

Abubaker attended Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), completing a degree in IT network administration. But his need to help people kept him working at Oakridge, he says.

“I am so excited about this job; it is the best job of my life,” he says. “I help people who really need help.”

“Oakridge is really a good place to live,” he says. “It is my home, my family. I like living here, and I recommend it to everyone I know.”

Families like Abubaker’s turn to Oakridge Neighborhood for support. From secure housing to youth programs nurturing potential, to workforce and family services building brighter futures, our reach has expanded because the need has grown. Your support ensures that hope, opportunity and belonging remain within reach for thousands of Central Iowans who count on us every day. Learn more.