You have the power to impact people’s lives for real and it is really simple.

Lately on social media, I've seen people sharing pictures related to challenging situations, such as a woman feeding an undernourished baby in Africa, or that famous picture of a Syrian refugee child that died on the beach trying to escape from the horrors of war. I always read the comments to see how people react. Usually people are shocked, saying how absurd these situations are, but what are we really doing from our side to help those in need? What is the purpose of sharing these pictures if we are not doing our part?

I want to bring up a situation that is right next to us. When I started working for Lutherwood in December 2016, I was given the mission of matching internationally trained professionals with Canadian professionals in the City of Guelph, Ontario, through our mentorship program. I had the opportunity to meet with highly-skilled professionals, including professionals holding PhDs, specialists in stock markets, engineers, and many more. These people all came to Canada as immigrants or refugees looking for a better quality of living, leaving their culture and beloved ones behind.

What is the purpose of sharing these pictures if we are not doing our part?

One story, in particular, moved me. A client, from Iraq, had everything in his country but, due to the circumstances we all know, had to abandon his homeland. One day, when he was still in Iraq, he was driving his kids to school when a military convoy shot his car deliberately and an explosion came after that. He was terrified. He was not able to look at the backseat where his 3 children were. He was afraid that something horrible had happened. Fortunately, everybody was okay. The loud explosion came from his tires that exploded after they got shot. After seeing his kids in a situation like that, he decided to move to Canada looking for a safer place for his family. Although he has valuable experience as an Engineer, he was only able to find a job as a general laborer. What a waste of talent…

We have the power to change that! As professionals, we can guide these new Canadians by sharing our expertise and knowledge about the local job market. This will give a totally new perspective to those that are struggling to find their path in their new home. As a mentor, you can change the life of an entire family and you will be grateful for the rest of your life that you were the one responsible for that. Being a mentor is a two-way positive experience. It is an opportunity to share your knowledge with others and also learn a different perspective. A great way to improve your coaching skills and become a better leader.

So, what do you think? Would you like to improve the lives of others for real? Join The Lutherwood Mentorship Alliance. Become a mentor!