Ellen's Story - by Ellen Szita

About the Book | About the Author

Born in England in 1941 and one of eight children, I was sent to school knowing I would be factory fodder. Education was not important for what was considered, lower class people or the poor. No one could have foreseen the future as being able to read and write would be a matter of survival.

I immigrated at age eighteen with serious low literacy skills and a great deal of depression including an attempted suicide; believing I was leaving. all the pain behind. Eventually I married and for a long time it was a safe place for me to be. However, the marriage did not last and I had to look for work. Being fired from two jobs because of my low academic skills, I gave up looking and lived on welfare for eight very long years. The suffering my four children went through at result of my not being able to help them with their school work was immeasurable and three of my children dropped out of high school. Through guilt and shame, my drinking escalated.

Many people with poor academic skill have short live jobs and short lived jobs is a very negative message. It is not uncommon for chemical abuse emotional disorder. violence. incarceration and poor dieting as result of low academic skills. It cost the tax payers into the billions annually. ask workmen's compensation board, ICBC, lawyers, doctors, hospitals, social services and even welfare.

I am but one person who touched the lives of my four beautiful children. How many children are out there who won't have the chance to walk down the street and feel like a whole human being, to have access to what is rightful theirs because of their parents guilt and shame. Canada is a country that I hold most dear to my heart and that is why I write this book because I believe that many Canadians are unaware there are 12 Million people in this country who have and are suffering as I once did.