Catherine and her 5 children spent 15 years in a refugee camp in Rwanda, she is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Prior to fleeing to Rwanda, Catherine was a seamstress in her village.
In the camp, she was able to use her sewing skills to barter for goods with the other refugees. Catherine and her children are now resettled in the United States. She sees her participation with OWC as a good use of her skills and a path to earn an income to give her children a better life.