Chibaloza is an Oakridge resident. Her home country is Congo but she lived in a refugee camp in Tanzania for eight years before coming to America in 2016. She came to America with her five kids.

She was shocked by her first impression of America. She was surprised by the quietness because back in Tanzania, there was always fighting between the police and the citizens.

When Chibaloza was growing up, her life was great. She had no complaints and her family was well-off. That all changed when she became a teenager. Her father was kidnaped and stripped of all his money. All of that trauma caused him to develop a mental illness. It had a tremendous effect on him and ended up causing him to pass away.

Years went by and Chibaloza got married and had children. More unfortunate events occurred and her husband was killed. Nobody knows exactly what happened. She says that there is no legal process in Congo. For example, they don’t hold trials or conduct thorough investigations, so the authorities told her that they didn’t know what happened to her husband. That terrified Chibaloza because the killer was still out there. That’s when she made the decision to move to Tanzania.

In Tanzania, she lived with her kids in a refugee camp. That still did not provide Chibaloza with reassurance that they would be safe, so they moved to America.

What surprised her the most about being here were the schools, because back home they didn’t exist. She felt like her kids could grow up well with all the opportunities that exist in the U.S. She says that being a single mother is hard, but she is trying her best so that her kids can have a good life. She says that although bad things happen here, it’s nothing compared to what she had to go through back home. She says she would rather be here than ever go back there.

– By Ketego and Najmo, Oak Futures communications interns

Oakridge Neighborhood supports families like Chibaloza’s with a fresh start. Your support means thousands of Central Iowans who count on us every day can find hope and opportunity. Click here to help us make a difference.

In late 2025, Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI)’s Childcare Partnership Appreciation Event recognized one of our neighbors, Nini Bicho. Nini is part of Oakridge Neighborhood’s Prepared to Care Program, which assists day care providers in the neighborhood to become licensed and have the tools they need to succeed as childcare experts. Here is Nini’s story:

Nini Bicho’s home country is Eritrea. She moved to America because of all the fighting between Eritrea and Ethiopia. Her husband was a soldier for Eritrea; he died serving his country. Nini fled and eventually came to America in 2009; some of her kids came before her in 2007. The first state she lived in was Georgia.

She was determined to work hard and build a better life for her family. But in Georgia Nini struggled. She worked at a meat production company. Her job required her to do hard labor, standing on her feet for 8-10 hours a day. Her body was very tired but she pushed through it to provide for her kids. She says that Georgia did not provide her with the sustainable lifestyle that she wanted. Her son lived in Des Moines and suggested she travel here and apply to be a resident at Oakridge. He told her that Oakridge provided assistance for single mothers who are having a hard time. She made the decision to move to Iowa and has been at Oakridge Neighborhood since.

Nini wanted to work but she also wanted something that would not be as physically demanding. She came across LSI, which trained her how to become an in-home child care provider. She has now been taking care of three to six kids at a time through her daycare, which she was able to start in 2014.

Nini is one of a number of Oakridge Neighborhood residents providing childcare in their homes with support from Oakridge’s Prepared to Care program, which ensures they are licensed, well trained and have resources to support taking care of children in their homes.

People have said that she goes “above and beyond” with her daycare. She cares for kids for as long as noon to midnight and even overnight, when most daycare centers aren’t even open. “Every day, I strive to provide them with a safe, loving and educational environment where they can grow, play and learn,” she says. “I enjoy watching them reach new milestones and seeing their happy faces.”

Oakridge Neighborhood’s Family & Workforce Programs help thousands of Central Iowans like Nini on their journey to self-sufficiency every year through programs like Prepared to Care. To keep these programs going strong, click here.

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.

My Oakridge journey began when I was six-years-old, when I moved to the neighborhood with my mother. We lived at Oakridge until my 15th birthday when we bought our first home. Even after moving, my brother and I have remained active with Oakridge youth programming.

When we first moved here, Mom’s work hours didn’t align with school dismissal. But a neighbor introduced us to Oakridge Neighborhood’s afterschool prgram, and that changed everything.

It gave me a sense of community, and provided academic support. I discovered a world of enrichment and leadership opportunities, like Girl Scouts and youth conferences. I even presented a spoken word piece with some of my Oakridge friends at the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony several years ago!

Another pivotal influence has been Oakridge’s Oak Futures Youth Employment Program. Through my participation the last five years, I’ve gained important job experience; in fact, I’m currently working in Oakridge Neighborhood’s accounting department!

Oakridge’s youth programming was also invaluable when I begin to think about college. My parents didn’t go to college, so I was the first in our family. But my Oakridge mentors helped me every step of the way navigating the process of applying for college and securing financial aid.

Today I’m a college sophmore at Drake University’s Bright College. I’m attending with a full scholarship, on a path toward earning my associate degree in Business and Professional Organizations, with a plan to continue on for my bachelor’s degree.

Families like Zami’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.