Domingas Gusmao

Intro

Domingas, an East Timor immigrant, has lived in Dungannon for 14 years. She overcame language barriers, started a business, and volunteers at First Steps Women’s Centre. Despite missing her family, she considers Dungannon home and hopes for kindness amidst anti-migrant sentiment.

Summary

Domingas is from East Timor and she came to Dungannon 14 years ago to join her husband who was working here in Moy Park. Her 3 children were born here. When she came here first it was difficult to adjust to a new culture and language. She had little English and started to come to First Steps Women’s Centre for classes. She tried to talk to everyone and watched movies to improve her English skills and is now fluent. Although her family are still in East Timor, she sees Dungannon as home, a place where she and her family belong. She continues her music, cooking and traditional crafts here in NI. She loves to sing and play guitar. As well as being a very busy full-time Mum, she has set up her own business selling crocheted items, inspired by traditional craft making in her home country. She is a highly valued volunteer at FSWC.

She does miss her home country and family who still live there but has regular whatsapp calls and contact which makes it much easier to stay in touch.

In the wake of rioting that has taken hold on towns in NI and anti-migrant feeling particularly over the past few years Domingas has found it unnerving and worries for her family especially as her children were born here. Her hope is that people can be kind to each other and adds you cannot control what people do but you can control how you react.

She is delighted to have had the opportunity to speak with First Minister Michelle O’Neill, MLA.