2024 New Hope Award
The 2024 recipients of the award were two outstanding members of our community, Mona Tolba and Samuel Dingba. The award presentation ceremony took place during the Karibu Cultural Celebration at UVM's Fleming Museum of Art in Burlington on November 2.
About Mona Tolba
Born and raised in Egypt, Mona holds two Ph.D.s: one in veterinary medicine and another in food sciences from Guelph University, Canada. Fluent in Arabic and English, her passion for science, public health, and cultural awareness drives her work.
As a Public Health Inspector for the VT Department of Health, Mona is deeply committed to advocating for cultural awareness, recognizing the critical impact it has on the health and well-being of individuals, especially those from diverse backgrounds. She actively works to bridge gaps in understanding between cultures, addressing how cultural insensitivity can negatively influence health outcomes. In addition to her role at the Department of Health, Mona collaborates with a group dedicated to reducing barriers for foreign-trained professionals in accessing healthcare careers.
With 12 years of experience working with refugees and immigrants as an interpreter, translator, cultural broker, and community liaison, Mona has witnessed firsthand the disparities that marginalized communities face and has also experienced them personally. Mona dedicates herself to alleviating these challenges. She works to listen to individuals' needs and connect them to vital resources, fostering a sense of support and belonging in the communities she serves. Her work is rooted in the belief that bridging cultural divides can make a profound difference in people's lives.
About Samuel Dingba
Samuel Dingba was born in the African country of Cameroon, and came to the United States in 2010. After completing his studies at Quinnipiac University and earning a master's degree in public administration from the University of Vermont, he joined AALV as a student intern. Initially drawn to the agency's diverse population, he found his calling in the Youth Program.
The internship turned into a whole new mission for him -- one that he had no idea would bring him such personal reward. He found that kids were drawn to him—at first through their desire to play basketball with him and get help completing academic assignments. Over time, kids began to open up to him about the deeper issues and the struggles they faced.
Samuel eventually became the program coordinator. As an intern, he had assessed the challenges and needs of the kids he was supporting. As the new coordinator, he was excited about putting problem-solving ideas into action. He developed the tutoring program to support the individualized needs of ESL students, initiating and maintaining close contact with each student’s academic advisor and some of their teachers. He recruited additional tutors who could help students' complete assignments in subjects most challenging to them.
Samuel strives each day to help facilitate a healthy, safe, and connected environment for the students utilizing the program. His goal is to create a peer culture where students feel safe, supported, and connected. He believes that genuine relationships and understanding are key to helping these young people adapt and succeed in their new culture.
