2022

Sama was born and raised in Eritrea. The town she was raised in was more peaceful than other parts of Eritrea. That means she was able to go to school, but eventually fighting broke out there too. The Kunama people did not have freedom, so in 2008, she moved to Ethiopia and lived in a refugee camp for eight years. In 2016, she moved to America with her son. 

The first state she lived in was Iowa. Her friends told her about Oakridge Neighborhood, so she decided to apply and is now an Oakridge resident. 

Sama is registered to be an in-home childcare provider. She takes care of kids at a time when most daycare centers aren’t open. It’s such a blessing for those parents who work late at night and don’t come home until early in the morning. Since she has so many kids to take care of, Oakridge has provided her with supplies and more training to become the best caregiver she can be as part of the Prepared to Care program for in-home childcare providers at Oakridge. 

Most of the kids’ parents speak Kunama, which is the language that Sama speaks. She speaks to the kids in both English and Kunama so their culture is not forgotten. 

Sama is working on getting her citizenship. She is also planning on going back to school to become a nurse. The only thing getting in her way is time. She is a single mother who has to take care of her kids, but she says that once her children get older she may go back to school. 

2026 Update
Sama is proud to share that she became a US citizen, achieving a major milestone in her journey. She also bought her first home, closing in May 2026 – a dream come true and providing a place where her family can build a future filled with stability and hope.