From Nigeria to St. John's: Sa'adatu Usman brings support to newcomers
Abby Cole | CBC News | Posted: March 8, 2025 8:50 PM | Last Updated: 17 hours ago
'Every time I start over, there's something new, there's a new possibility, there is new opportunities'
Moving to a new place is a struggle Sa'adatu Usman knows all too well. That is why she is looking to support other new Canadians, teach kids to love themselves and encourage other women along the way.
She is the founder of a new non-profit organization called Global Citizens Inc., where she tries to connect and support newcomers through programming and events.
Usman organized a Ramadan food market last month for the St. John's Muslim community to connect with each other.
At the market, she told CBC that her organization is "all about community."
"It's to engage people [and] just give them spaces to thrive," she said.
Usman is from Nigeria. She has lived in St. John's since 2022.
She has also lived in the United States, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. "Being a newcomer so many times, it's a struggle," she said in a followup interview.
But she now sees it as something beautiful. She said she remembers how hard it was to find belonging, community — even food — during her first few years as an expat.
"Every time I start over, there's something new, there's a new possibility, there is new opportunities, there is new people for me to meet," she said.
Usman said her goal is to continue supporting other newcomers with what she has learned from her travels.
Rather than telling people what they need, she wants to ask people what they need, and provide the resources to help settle in.
Teaching self-acceptance
As part of her work, Usman has been working on a project helping junior high school students learn to accept themselves as global citizens.
Usman said that she has seen children struggle with self-worth due to racism in schools. "So I am teaching them to embrace themselves. Be who you are," she said.
She also is trying to show students the vast array of cultures and perspectives across the world, so they don't feel like they have to look or act a certain way.
"So I want kids to incorporate that into their daily lives and say, 'Yes, this is who I am. I am beautiful and I am good enough.'"
Undefined womanhood
Through her travels around the world, Usman says her perception of womanhood has evolved.
She said there are different perceptions of women and gender norms in other cultures, which she has tried to incorporate in her own life.
Usman also proudly calls herself a feminist, but she doesn't believe in defining what a woman should be. She said a woman should feel free to do what makes them happy, no matter if it's being a stay-at-home mother or going to work.
Her advice to young women is to stay true to their own values.
"Search your soul and say, is this the right thing for me to do in the long run?," said Usman. "Don't care what people think of you if you are the only one standing and everyone is on the other line, just keep going as long as you believe in what you're doing."
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