Prudenciel George Carl N’Drama says he wants to thank all Americans for helping him find his freedom.
The 53-year-old refugee from Ivory Coast has only been in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for a few months, but has already secured a job and a place to live with the help of the LSC New Americans Program.
“I want to thank all the people of this country. I thank all of the American people for giving me the opportunity to be here,” Carl N’Drama said.
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d’Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Carl N’ Drama, who speaks French, felt he needed to leave when he started feeling unsafe, always looking over his shoulder.
With the help of the United Nations, he found himself in Myrtle Beach. He said he has found his second family in the LSC teammates.
“I can say you (LSC) are very good people. I’m talking about the moral support they provide me. When I first came here, I had a low morale and they were able to talk to me, advise me, and increase my morale for my self-confidence,” he said. “So, I appreciate the work that they do, and I thank them for doing it for me.”
He added that the people of Myrtle Beach are very welcoming, and he has two part-time jobs lined up to help him become self-sufficient.
He doesn’t feel the need to look over his shoulder anymore. He is free.
“I can say that I’m free because I am in the land of freedom. Generally, the United States is considered as the land of freedom. I feel free in this country,” Carl N’ Drama said. “I don’t want to look back. I want to live life to its fullest.”