The American dream in action: Mejih’s success story

Mejih came to Charlotte from West Africa with nothing but his luggage and the desire to become a successful businessman and homeowner.

He learned about Charlotte Area Fund (CAF) at a community resource fair held at the local men’s shelter. Eager to secure employment and move out of the shelter, he enrolled in the Self-Sufficiency Project and began Work Readiness classes in January.

With the guidance and support from his success coach and case manager, he developed an individual development plan that outlined his goals and how to achieve them.

Mejih was hired at his first job in May at FedEx. Eager to purchase a car and move into an apartment, he took a second job at Watson as a welder. A few months later, he had purchased a car and moved into his own apartment.

He regularly attends budgeting and credit counseling sessions through CAF in an effort to work towards his goal of owning a home.

Mejih recently completed the heavy equipment training course at the Heavy Equipment College of America in Fayetteville. His goal is to obtain employment as a heavy equipment operator in the construction industry.