Wahiba Benani has been with CIWA for over 20 years and has held various roles during her tenure, including LINC Instructor/Tutor, Pebbles in the Sand Tutor, and Special Needs Instructor/Tutor.

Wahiba moved to Canada to provide better opportunities for her family, particularly her children. Wahiba’s friend, also a LINC student at CIWA, encouraged her to apply for a job at CIWA.

Interacting with her students, learning about their cultures, lives, and aspirations for their futures in Canada are Wahiba’s favorite part of her job. She enjoys working with a knowledgeable, professional, compassionate and hard-working group of women, who are passionate about advising and assisting immigrant women. She admires the effort her students put into learning English and getting jobs to support their families and finds working with immigrant women to be rewarding. Despite progress, immigrant women still face barriers such as language barriers and lack of job qualifications. CIWA’s staff works tirelessly to investigate new ways to support and assist these women with their unique problems. She also takes pleasure in witnessing immigrant women successfully integrate and become active members of their new communities.

What makes Wahiba most proud is her family, heritage, work, and life in Canada. She is passionate about the work she does with her clients and is looking forward to becoming a grandmother and retiring to care for her grandchild.

Outside of work, Wahiba enjoys travelling, camping, gardening, listening to music, and watching TV shows. She speaks Arabic, English, and a little bit of Spanish.

CIWA is grateful to have such a dedicated and passionate employee like Wahiba on our team, making a positive impact in the lives of immigrant women in Calgary.