Photo description:

RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Pix of Minty (“Minty” Woldamanial), an orphaned Eritrean refugee with Kathleen Vyrauen (dark hair) and Jennifer Tomsich (glasses), with NEEDS Inc, at Pan Am Boxing Club. Minty arrived in Wpg at age 15 with just two years of formal education and no English and Kathleen Vyrauen and Jennifer Tomsich, with NEEDS Inc, took him under their wing and made sure he stayed in school and got the help he needed – like joining Pan Am boxing club to deal with his anger issues. Minty spoke at the recent Newcomer Education Coalition forum about how older refugee youths who’ve missed out on a lot of school and have been through a lot of trauma need more supports from school divisions and agencies. Carol Sanders | Reporter June 1, 2018