He’s a well-known face to residents of a neighbourhood simply west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
Every weekday, James Makusa may be seen serving to children and fogeys on their method to and from college. In his reflective yellow vest, and with a broad smile on his face, Makusa greets most of the children by title, and may be heard telling their mother and father to have an excellent day, as he crosses forwards and backwards over Backyard Avenue and Sunnyside Avenue.
However now, the favored crossing guard is hoping somebody will have the ability to assist him.
“I’m right here for inexperienced pastures ,” Makusa instructed CTV Information Toronto. “I’m right here to search for new alternatives.”
Makusa moved to Canada from Zambia, the place he labored as a bus driver, a few year-and-a-half in the past. He stated that he spent his first months right here dwelling in a shelter. There, with the assistance of an help group, he discovered part-time work as a crossing guard.
It’s a job he clearly enjoys, as he chats with neighborhood members as they cross. Nevertheless it’s additionally a job that makes dwelling within the metropolis subsequent to unimaginable as a result of comparatively low pay, he says.
“Issues are very arduous right here” Makusa stated. “Issues are costly in Toronto.”
Over the previous a number of months, Makusa says he has been consistently making use of for full-time jobs.
“I’ve been making use of to Air Canada, I’ve utilized to Amazon” he stated. ‘I’ve been making use of to these, Walmart, anyplace.”
However thus far he’s had no takers. Despite the fact that he himself was virtually taken. A good friend prompt to Makusa that he ought to rent what was described to him as an agent- a job hunter to assist him discover work.
“They known as me they usually instructed me prefer to pay them- which was a lot cash. Like they instructed me to pay like $3,000 for them to discover a job for me,” he stated.
Fortuitously, Makusa didn’t try this. However what he did do was take to social media. He posted within the neighbourhood Fb group, asking anybody locally if they could have any leads for somebody who’s prepared to do virtually something.
“I can do warehousing” Makusa stated. “I can do labouring jobs, I can do anything- packing. Something! I’m ready, very fit- I can do something.”
Makusa’s put up has acquired dozens of supportive feedback from neighborhood members who’re promising to maintain their eyes open for any potential full-time employment alternatives. Now he’s hoping his new neighborhood will come by means of to assist him discover work and assist preserve his dream of a greater life in Canada alive.
