Real People, Real Stories

In order to foster empathy and build a community that is accepting, we at monvoyage, collect, recount, and preserve stories about immigration.

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Real faces, real stories

In order to foster empathy and build a community that is accepting, we collect, recount, and preserve stories about immigration.
VIEW THE STORIES

Immigrant Stories

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There is a famous adage, 'you can take the Bengali out of Bengal, but you can't take the Bengal out of the Bengali. Couldn't be more appropriate to describe the motivation behind this socio cultural arrangement. Durga Puja is an emotion for most Bengalis. Ananya and Rajat gave shape and form to that emotion this year (October 2023) at their residence. An immigrant Bengali couple living in Niagara opened up their hearts and home for the celebration of the feminine strength. “We are celebrating Durga Puja for the first time. This is the only Durga Puja at Niagara as of now. It is such a joy to put this Puja together. We are overwhelmed to see the footfall and the engagement from the community. The most beautiful aspect of this festival is that it transcends boundaries of race, religion, ethnicity. This is a cultural extravaganza, and we would love to see more participation in the coming years,” says Ananya. Durga Puja, the grand celebration dedicated to the goddess Durga, holds a unique place in the cultural tapestry of India, particularly in the eastern part of the country. This festival, celebrated with unparalleled enthusiasm and fervor, transcends religious boundaries to become a socio-cultural extravaganza that brings people together, fostering a sense of unity and communal harmony. #canada #niagara #toronto #cultural #durgapuja #durgapuja2023 #immigrantstories #immigrantlife #immigrantgaze #immigrantsuccessstories
Durga Puja at Niagara| Few Glimpses of the 1st Year |What did it take to put this together?#niagara
Domonique Bradford, an Accountant, talks about systemic failures and massive underemployment. An immigrant author, Founder of Warmina Foundation, she talks about her journey. She lists down some pain points that most immigrants experience. The issue that she raises has been a talking point for most immigrants----underemployement. According to an article in Toronto Star In 2021, there were 6.4 million individuals in Canada who held a bachelor's degree or above, accounting for 32.9% of the working-age population. That is an increase from 28.5% in 2016. Although they account for over half of the 4.3-point gain, the agency stated that recent immigrants are still more likely to be overqualified for the occupations they hold. “When immigrants apply for PR they are given points for their qualification and that very qualification is not good enough once you are here, Profit and Loss in a balance sheet is no different in Africa, Asia, then why do they have to go through the degree again?” “A short bridging course or an exam should be sufficient to evaluate their knowledge and skill. The process of going through the rigor again isn't everybody's cup of tea.” On one hand, underemployed immigrants are frustrated, and on the other hand there is genuine shortage----none of it serves Canada well. Website: www.monvoyage.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monvoyagein Insta: monvoyagein Like, share and subscribe! Have questions? Write to us! #canada #immigrants #immigrantstories #immigrationcanada #permanentresidence #citizen #employment #accountancy #underemployment #toronto
Underemployment: Is Canada under utilizing educated immigrants? #canada #immigrants #underemployed
Piyali Mukherjee (owner of Pratap Handicrafts and Home Decor Limited) came to Canada as an immigrant a few years back. Her 9-5 job wasn't giving her the happiness that she was looking for. She was hungry for more work, more thrill and wanted to give back to the society. And then COVID-19 happened. She grabbed the opportunity, and the time to build a business that she always envisioned. “I realized that there is a great market here for products that we are familiar with, because of the huge immigrant population. And by doing this successfully, I will also be able to give work to many in India.” Being a small business owner in Canada involves several steps and considerations. Here are some key points to keep in mind: Business Idea and Plan Business Structure: Business Name: Business Registration: Permits and Licenses: Business Finances: Funding: Insurance: Hiring Employees: Taxes: Marketing and Branding: Compliance and Regulations: Networking: Growth and Expansion: Resources and Support: Take advantage of government resources and support services available to small business owners in Canada. This includes programs from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Canadian Small Business Financing Program. Remember that the specifics of running a small business in Canada may vary depending on your location and industry. It's important to do thorough research, seek professional advice, and stay informed about changing regulations and trends in your sector. Website: www.monvoyage.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monvoyagein Insta: monvoyagein Wish to connect with Pratap Handicrafts? Here is their Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pratapshandicrafts Like, share and subscribe! Have questions? Write to us! #immigration #immigrantstories #immigrantsuccessstories #import #sareebusiness #handicraftproducts #smallbuisness #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinessideas #womenenterprenur #canada #toronto #indiansarees #checklist #bestpractice @TeamMonvoyage
Checklist for setting up a small Business in Canada #immigrants #smallbusinessowner #india

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There is a famous adage, 'you can take the Bengali out of Bengal, but you can't take the Bengal out of the Bengali. Couldn't be more appropriate to describe the motivation behind this socio cultural arrangement. Durga Puja is an emotion for most Bengalis. Ananya and Rajat gave shape and form to that emotion this year (October 2023) at their residence. An immigrant Bengali couple living in Niagara opened up their hearts and home for the celebration of the feminine strength. “We are celebrating Durga Puja for the first time. This is the only Durga Puja at Niagara as of now. It is such a joy to put this Puja together. We are overwhelmed to see the footfall and the engagement from the community. The most beautiful aspect of this festival is that it transcends boundaries of race, religion, ethnicity. This is a cultural extravaganza, and we would love to see more participation in the coming years,” says Ananya. Durga Puja, the grand celebration dedicated to the goddess Durga, holds a unique place in the cultural tapestry of India, particularly in the eastern part of the country. This festival, celebrated with unparalleled enthusiasm and fervor, transcends religious boundaries to become a socio-cultural extravaganza that brings people together, fostering a sense of unity and communal harmony. #canada #niagara #toronto #cultural #durgapuja #durgapuja2023 #immigrantstories #immigrantlife #immigrantgaze #immigrantsuccessstories
Durga Puja at Niagara| Few Glimpses of the 1st Year |What did it take to put this together?#niagara
Domonique Bradford, an Accountant, talks about systemic failures and massive underemployment. An immigrant author, Founder of Warmina Foundation, she talks about her journey. She lists down some pain points that most immigrants experience. The issue that she raises has been a talking point for most immigrants----underemployement. According to an article in Toronto Star In 2021, there were 6.4 million individuals in Canada who held a bachelor's degree or above, accounting for 32.9% of the working-age population. That is an increase from 28.5% in 2016. Although they account for over half of the 4.3-point gain, the agency stated that recent immigrants are still more likely to be overqualified for the occupations they hold. “When immigrants apply for PR they are given points for their qualification and that very qualification is not good enough once you are here, Profit and Loss in a balance sheet is no different in Africa, Asia, then why do they have to go through the degree again?” “A short bridging course or an exam should be sufficient to evaluate their knowledge and skill. The process of going through the rigor again isn't everybody's cup of tea.” On one hand, underemployed immigrants are frustrated, and on the other hand there is genuine shortage----none of it serves Canada well. Website: www.monvoyage.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monvoyagein Insta: monvoyagein Like, share and subscribe! Have questions? Write to us! #canada #immigrants #immigrantstories #immigrationcanada #permanentresidence #citizen #employment #accountancy #underemployment #toronto
Underemployment: Is Canada under utilizing educated immigrants? #canada #immigrants #underemployed
Piyali Mukherjee (owner of Pratap Handicrafts and Home Decor Limited) came to Canada as an immigrant a few years back. Her 9-5 job wasn't giving her the happiness that she was looking for. She was hungry for more work, more thrill and wanted to give back to the society. And then COVID-19 happened. She grabbed the opportunity, and the time to build a business that she always envisioned. “I realized that there is a great market here for products that we are familiar with, because of the huge immigrant population. And by doing this successfully, I will also be able to give work to many in India.” Being a small business owner in Canada involves several steps and considerations. Here are some key points to keep in mind: Business Idea and Plan Business Structure: Business Name: Business Registration: Permits and Licenses: Business Finances: Funding: Insurance: Hiring Employees: Taxes: Marketing and Branding: Compliance and Regulations: Networking: Growth and Expansion: Resources and Support: Take advantage of government resources and support services available to small business owners in Canada. This includes programs from the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Canadian Small Business Financing Program. Remember that the specifics of running a small business in Canada may vary depending on your location and industry. It's important to do thorough research, seek professional advice, and stay informed about changing regulations and trends in your sector. Website: www.monvoyage.in Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/monvoyagein Insta: monvoyagein Wish to connect with Pratap Handicrafts? Here is their Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/pratapshandicrafts Like, share and subscribe! Have questions? Write to us! #immigration #immigrantstories #immigrantsuccessstories #import #sareebusiness #handicraftproducts #smallbuisness #smallbusinessowner #smallbusinessideas #womenenterprenur #canada #toronto #indiansarees #checklist #bestpractice @TeamMonvoyage
Checklist for setting up a small Business in Canada #immigrants #smallbusinessowner #india

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