My name is Maya.  I was born in the Ivory Coast, West Africa where I studied and obtained my baccalaureate in 1989.  I then went to university to read Law however following a socio-political crisis I had to drop out.  I managed to find a job as a Customer Service Assistant at the airport where I worked for several months whilst weighing up my options as to what to do. 

In the end I decided to emigrate in order to further my studies.  Having always been attracted to the English language, I decided to come to England and to learn English which I did in 1995.  I obtained a First Certificate in English and enrolled for a Business Administration course.  To fund my studies, I took a part time job working for Select Service Partner.  I started as a Sales Assistant initially and moved up the ladder as I became more experienced.  As part of my course, I took a Post-graduate Diploma in Management Studies and passed 7 out of the 9 subjects.
 
Unfortunately due to lack of money I could not go one step further to take up a Masters in Business Administration.  However, I was made a Senior Service Supervisor at Burger King and became very successful as part of a very well driven and hard working team.  We were dedicated, focussed and very efficient collecting many awards along the way.  That experience helped me gain many skills and form long lasting friendships.
 
One very good thing which I am extremely proud to have done is having a child.  I am indeed the proud mother of a girl who is 7 years old very soon.  She has been the light at the end of the tunnel as I came across a stumbling block when applying for an Indefinite Leave to Remain in the United Kingdom.  In 2004 I had to leave employment to apply for permanent residency.  This took 5 years to be granted.  It had been a long and arduous road which came to an end when we were granted such Leave in August 2009.
 
Having previously lived in the borough of Westminster and being housed out in Leyton, Housing Options Service put me in touch with an organisation called HELP.  I was assigned to an adviser and together we put in place an action plan.
 
The first step in my plan was to become computer literate so I would be able to apply for Information Technology jobs in the workplace.  I am therefore currently taking an ICT Diploma level 1 course.
 
The adviser referred me onto a volunteering opportunity to help me gain valuable experience in administration.
I applied and got offered a role as a receptionist with Greenside Community Centre on Lisson Green Estate.
 
Eventually I would like to graduate and obtain a Masters in Business Administration and work in Human Resources.  Another one of my objectives is to learn how to drive and take my daughter on educational and leisure trips.  I am very motivated and looking forward to achieving these goals in the very near future.