From Overseas Dreams to Canadian Success: Ade's Journey to Manulife Bank with Windmill Microlending

Toronto – In the bustling halls at Manulife’s global headquarters, a special event took place this past June: Windmill Microlending, a registered charity that aids skilled immigrants and refugees through low-interest microloans, held their all-staff gathering. Among the inspirational speakers was Ade Adewoye, Senior Financial Analyst from Manulife Bank.

Ade's story is one of resilience and determination. Originally from Nigeria, Ade immigrated to Canada in 2018 with extensive experience but faced the challenge of obtaining necessary accounting accreditations to continue his career. With a microloan from Windmill Microlending, he was able to cover the costs of his Canadian CPA accreditation and align his skills with Canadian requirements.

"I came to Canada with dreams and aspirations, but also with the reality that I needed support to achieve them," Ade recalls. "Windmill Microlending played a critical role in helping me to re-establish my career in a new country by providing not just financial support, but also mentorship”.

Windmill Microlending's mission aligns seamlessly with Manulife's broader commitment to community investment, particularly through the second pillar of our Impact Agenda - to drive inclusive economic opportunity.

Our multi-year commitment to Windmill helps newcomers secure meaningful employment, specifically in the financial services and healthcare sectors. This partnership helps reduce the pay gap between immigrants and non-immigrants, lifts clients out of poverty, increases Windmill client incomes by 3.5 times, and attracts more talented individuals to our industries of healthcare and finance. In 2023, Manulife provided 13 microloans to newcomers eager to restart their careers in finance and healthcare, and we are already collaborating with Windmill to assist even more individuals this year.

Ade's success story highlights the importance of organizations like Windmill Microlending and the impactful partnerships they form. By providing low-interest microloans, Windmill enables skilled immigrants and refugees to bridge the gap between their qualifications and Canadian accreditation, helping them to thrive.

Manulife’s Community Investment team is dedicated to supporting initiatives that foster growth and opportunity, ensuring that newcomers like Ade can turn their professional dreams into reality.

"Every step of the journey has been worth it. The support from Windmill Microlending has been instrumental in my success, and I hope my story can inspire other newcomers to pursue their aspirations with confidence." Ade reflects.