Kia ora my name is Bassam Omar, I am from Somalia – from a place called Mogadishu.

I arrived in New Zealand on the 31st of March 2023. I came here to get a job and have a future, and I have been in New Zealand for 2 years now.

I like adventures, like water-skiing, water-crafting, kayaking, skateboarding, cycling and ATC. I also like travelling around the world to visit different countries and experience different traditions and cultures.

My English wasn’t very good when I arrived in New Zealand but Literacy Waitākere helped me to grow quickly.

I’ve learned a lot of things at Literacy Waitākere – I have improved my English and mathematics skills, and they also helped me to gain my New Zealand driver’s license.

To begin with, I didn’t have any knowledge of New Zealand rules and road-signs but I studied for my driver’s license at Literacy Waitākere and I passed the test and got my license!

I practice driving a car with my dad which has been very helpful for me, and it doesn’t take too long to learn how to drive a car.

I would recommend coming to Literacy Waitākere to study for a driver’s license like I did. It is easier learning and studying in a community, not just through a website.