Windmill Microlending is a charity that gives low-interest loans to immigrants and refugees so they can get the proper credentials to continue a high skilled job in Canada.

Olukayode Jegede is from Nigeria but living in Swan River, and says Windmill has worked for him, adding it’s pretty easy to apply.

“I just put in if I worked and I got in the mail a letter I was scheduled for a Skype interview, after that, I was connected with the financial department and they told me how to request for the loan at every point I needed.”

National Director of Marketing and Communications for Windmill, Mary Ellen Armstrong says Canada really tries to attract skilled immigrants and refugees.

Armstrong says it’s very common for newcomers to end up not returning to their careers, which means they end up working in a lower skilled, lower paid position than what they are trained to be doing.

Windmill has helped over 4000 skilled immigrants and refugees all over Canada since starting in 2006. Manitoba clients had 2 loans in 2006, in 2018, the number jumped to 18. Almost all Manitoba clients are nurses to help with the nursing shortage some areas are facing.