Dana Obeji

The Spirit of Community:

A Story and Testimony from an IC Mother, Dana Obeji

In particular, single mother Dana Obeji has been touched by the generosity and love of the school community after she faced her own life tragedy with the loss of her husband. Mrs. Obeji shares her experience and immense gratitude towards IC during one of the most difficult times of her and her childrens’ lives. She also reflects on the importance of a community like IC in the world we are living in today and how lucky we are to have a place like IC to call home.

Eight years ago, Mrs. Obeji lost her husband in a plane crash in Cypress. “It was a tragedy”, she says. And indeed it was. She became a single mother of three young children, and began to bear the responsibilities that came with taking care of a household alone. But this is where IC stepped in, and changed the trajectory of her journey. Mr. Bergman, former president, reached out to Dana and told her that the school had voted on a policy, where if anyone has lost their spouse in such a way, IC is willing to support and cover the finances for the education of the children. “I was so touched. I was totally overwhelmed with the help and the support the school could provide”, Dana says. As kind of an offer as it was, Dana politely declined but wholeheartedly expressed her gratitude. She made it a point to show how IC knew how to show up, while also giving space. She felt that the team never pushed her in any way that wasn’t comfortable or infringing on her privacy. “IC was present without being intrusive. It’s open minded without being chaotic. It is supportive but not invading”, she states.

In times of uncertainty, IC has always been a supportive space for its community. From all the changes that have been taking place in the country these last few years, the school has ensured that its students and their families still have access to not just a good education, but also a reliable support system. And it wasn’t just on the administrative side of things where Dana was given the reassurance and help she needed. The teachers of her children played an immense role in creating a caring and supportive environment at school for her and her children. “The teachers would leave the class to make sure that my children would be okay. They would take pictures

of my children to show me they were doing alright and participating and having fun with their friends”, Dana reflects gratefully. Though her children had lost their father, Dana feels as if the school in a way was their second parent. “Not one single teacher disappointed me. Everyone surprised me positively”, she states. She also was touched by how genuine and authentic the support offered was. that they are leaving, but with regret”. This is the impact the support of this school has on its students as well; in all the years they’ve been here, they’re sad to leave a place that has been home for them.

“There are people in our life who are just standing by our side. Like big trees. Like they are full support to us. We don’t see them until we fall down. When we fall down, suddenly they start supporting us. They are fully prepared to help us. They expect it. This is what I found at IC. IC was simply an entity in my life that was ready to accompany us in this difficult time.”

For Dana, when a tragedy like this takes place in the life of a person, they don’t trust life anymore. “I became a person who needed to be reassured all the time, and the school played a role”, she tells me. This is where the emphasis of community comes into play in the life of a person. “There’s a system here, it’s a community”, Dana states. And she’s right – IC is its own community of teachers, staff, and parents. And when it comes to tragedy or difficult circumstances in the lives of this community, the people within play a major role in helping one another move forward and get the reassurance they need. Since COVID 19, the port blast, and the current economic crisis, the school has managed to uphold its foundation while also looking out for those within its community. Dana positively reflects on the way COVID was handled at IC, and how the school checked in on families by the port following the blast. Even now with the increase in school fees, the school continues to reach out offering support for those who need it. IC is a space where Dana can send her children and feel that things will be okay. “I am not worried. I feel that they are as safe as home. As a single mom, this is huge. It’s important.” Dana’s oldest son is going to graduate this year, and she has another son in Grade 10, and a daughter in Grade 5. As her son is graduating, she tells me how touched she is and how much of a personal impact IC had on him too. He told his mother, “we love our teachers so much, why would we hurt anyone? We are thankful. It’s the only school where students leave the school with love. Not with happiness

Dana is a psychologist, and in the field of therapists, IC has been recommended as a school where regardless of challenges in life, children will still be in a good school. For Dana, this was the community she wanted to belong in. Enrolling her children at IC was a conscious choice she made with her husband which was so important to her. Her husband was a bit reluctant at first, but even up until he passed away, he saw the positive environment and high quality of education his children were getting. “I hope IC will give the chance for people who choose them. Not only the ones who inherit it. But to keep on taking people who choose the ““IC was present without school is very important”, Dana tells me. being intrusive. It’s open From the endless support that she has from IC, Dana wishes that the minded without being school will maintain its support for years to come. chaotic. It is supportive For her, that starts with supporting the backbone but not invading” and foundation of this support system: IC’s teachers. “The hope I have is that IC stays able to support the teachers. Because it is thanks to them”, she says. “These people are very tired. They are teaching our children and they are spending time with them. It’s a job that is very difficult. I really think that the community should support every teacher. Teachers need to feel like they have a family behind them.” Dana wants parents to truly know and understand that IC will always be there for them and their children. “I want to tell them, trust the school. You can be sure the school will do their part of the job”, she insists. From the bottom of her heart, Dana loves IC and truly believes that the school is a safe space. She is always thankful and grateful for everyone that has been there for her and her children when she was faced with such a big loss, and she advocates for the continuous support of the heroes we call our teachers. Though this tragedy significantly altered her faith in life, she gained the genuine love and support of the IC community, and this truly changed the game for her and her children. In her own words, “the smile that I found on the face of every teacher, every team member, was enough to help me believe in life again”.