Employee Story
Smina Matchlie
“I had to leave my country because of the insecurity there. It was very sad for me because I didn’t want to leave. I felt scared to live in my own country and was deeply concerned for my life and my son’s life.”
This is how Sans Souci employee Smina Matchlie begins her story- one of courage, perseverance, and transformation. Two years ago, Smina fled Haiti seeking safety for herself and her son. 14 months ago, she found Sans Souci - and life began to change in remarkable ways.
Because of donors like you, Smina has found not only employment, but stability, confidence, and community.
This Giving Tuesday (December 2nd), your support can continue changing lives like Smina’s. Your gift helps Sans Souci provide job opportunities, life-skills training, and one-on-one support for employees facing barriers to self-sufficiency.
Spoken through our translator (another Sans Souci employee), Smina shared how difficult her journey was.
“Haiti has many political problems, and gangs and criminals are killing innocent people for no reason,” she said. “When I arrived in Columbus, I had to wait about six months for my documents and work permit. Besides the language and cultural barriers, it was a difficult time.”
After finally receiving her work permit, Smina found a manufacturing job- but just three months later, she was let go due to low work volume. For five long months she searched for a job. Then, she learned about Sans Souci and filled out an employment application. Within two weeks, she was hired- and her journey toward stability began.
At first, she was nervous and shy, but her confidence grew quickly. “Sans Souci has helped me a lot. When you are an immigrant with language barriers and you need help, sometimes people don’t understand or don’t take the time to help you,” Smina said. “But I feel that Sans Souci supports me and truly cares about me.”
Since joining the team, Smina has overcome challenges many of us take for granted- finding housing, navigating insurance and hospital bills, and even avoiding a scam that could have cost her hundreds of dollars. She’s also found a strong sense of community within Sans Souci’s growing Haitian team, through the English Learning Initiative (ELI) that Sans Souci provides. Smina has enjoyed the ELI classes. “I’m learning a lot, and I see my Haitian coworkers improving too,” Smina said. “Working alongside English speakers also helps me practice and get better.”
Looking ahead, Smina’s dreams are full of hope: “My plans for the future are to continue improving my English, get my driver’s license, and stay here in the United States,” she said. “I want to keep working at Sans Souci, gain more skills, and earn a certificate.” Your gift this Giving Tuesday can help make those dreams possible- not just for Smina, but for every employee working to build a better life.
Give hope. Give opportunity. Give on Giving Tuesday.
More to Know
about our impactful results
Sans Souci’s Employee Development program is designed to employ and equip individuals who have struggled to obtain or retain employment elsewhere, providing them with the support and tools needed to succeed in the workforce. Through one-on-one coaching and personalized plans, employees work to overcome barriers such as housing, childcare, transportation, or financial instability. They also participate in regular trainings led by community partners on topics like communication, financial wellness and job readiness.
For those ready to advance, our Sans Souci Build You (SSBU) program offers career exploration, job shadowing and externship opportunities — empowering participants to build confidence and transition into stable, long-term careers.
Foundations
On average, Sans Souci employs 30 to 35 individuals at a time. Many of these employees come to us in crisis mode and have struggled to obtain or retain employment elsewhere.
By working with each employee, creating an individualized goal plan and providing paid training, we empower individuals by removing barriers that have prevented them from being successful at other places of employment. We provide guidance for them to a path to lifelong self-sufficiency, breaking the generational cycle of poverty.
Additionally, Sans Souci employees learn valuable and transferable skills just while working, such as cash handling, customer service and teamwork.
Build You
Sans Souci Build You (SSBU) is an extension of our Employee Development program, which provides training and guidance for select employees who are working towards moving from stability to self-sufficiency.
Through SSBU, participants will take six-week courses in the areas of finance, communications, personal development, computer literacy and career exploration.
After the courses have been completed, an employee will participate in a six-week externship with a partner employer in a field that the participant is interested in.
Wyatt Smith
Wyatt joined the Sans Souci team about a year ago and has made incredible strides both personally and professionally. After overcoming challenges with addiction, he committed to building a new path and has remained focused on his goals ever since.
With support from Sans Souci, Wyatt secured reliable transportation, began working toward custody of his son, and recently enrolled in EMT classes. He was promoted to Truck Driver and is a strong and dependable presence on the team.
As part of the SSBU program, Wyatt has enjoyed learning about communication, finance, and career development. He recently attended classes at a local fire station to obtain his EMT certification and has recently been offered a position as an EMT, where he recently began employment. Equipped with the skills and confidence to pursue a career beyond Sans Souci, Wyatt is committed to giving back to the community that supported his journey.
Kristen Childers
Kristin Childers joined the Sans Souci team a little over a year ago and has experienced significant personal and professional growth since then. Through her time in the SSBU program, Kristin has had the chance to explore her interests and build confidence in her future.
She especially enjoyed job shadowing in the dog grooming industry and even spent time learning from a professional dog trainer—experiences that gave her insight into new career possibilities.
After graduation, Kristin looks forward to continuing her growth and exploring the next steps on her career path.
Destiny Wattjes
Destiny joined the Sans Souci team in March 2024 and has grown tremendously in her time with us. Once quiet and reserved, Destiny has gained confidence through her involvement in the SSBU program and is now finding her voice — literally and figuratively.
She especially enjoyed the communications workshops and had the exciting opportunity to shadow at a local radio station, where she even made a live on-air announcement.
That experience sparked a new interest and opened doors she hadn’t considered before.
Destiny hopes to complete her externship at a radio station and plans to take a class or two at Ivy Tech to continue building her skills and exploring new opportunities.
Josh Alexander
Josh has been part of the Sans Souci team for several years and has overcome many hurdles and has had several accomplishments along the way.
Through hard work and determination, Josh earned his High School Equivalency (HSE), secured stable housing, and has grown in many other ways both personally and professionally. Most recently, Josh was promoted to an Assistant Operations Supervisor and does an excellent job leading in the Donation Center area.
Post SSBU graduation, Josh plans to continue taking leadership workshops and grow in his career at Sans Souci.