A group in Dauphin is helping 3 women who moved here with their families from Syria learn how to drive.
Kathy Bellemare is one of the volunteers who are helping the women get their drivers licences.
Kathy talks about how their families are really supportive of the learning experience.
“These women will be the first women in their families to have driver’s licenses. This is a really big deal for them and the husbands here are very supportive about these wives getting drivers licenses. They’ve seen the life we live here in Dauphin. that having a driver’s license is really helpful in, you know, picking the kids up from school or taking kids to activities, or that kind of thing and they are really embracing that part of Canadian life.”
One of the ladies just got her learners license and is hitting the road for the first time this morning.
Kathy also says teaching these eager learners is not like teaching your average beginner to drive.
“Because they aren’t teenagers, you know, they are more mature in the sense that they understand that you don’t have to drive fast. And Asya is very cautious about things. I don’t have to worry about her tearing across the parking lot or “let’s see if we can do this faster.” She’s not into that kind of thing. Where it’s challenging is sometimes when you talk English. Even something like left and right, they know those words, but when they are sitting behind the wheel and it’s new and you’re a little stressed the language can interfere.”
