National Adult Literacy Database

April 16, 2007

Story

by Ellen Szita

I was born in England in 1941 on the 26th of August. I was one of eight children. My parents were married almost 25 years when my Father died of cancer at 53 years. My mother died at age 80 in England.

At 14 years of age, and with very little schooling, I went to work in a factory. Because of a very dysfunctional childhood and a total loss of self worth at fifteen I attempted suicide, at age eighteen, I immigrated to Canada. I arrived in Quebec in April of 1960. I went into a factory and earned $56 per month.

I met and married my husband in 1962 and by 1969 I had four children. Because of the F.L.Q. Crisis we left in 1970 and moved to British Columbia.

By 1979 the marriage failed and I moved to Victoria, on Vancouver Island, with my children.

I lived on welfare for many years because of my lack of academic skills. This was very humiliating for me. Due to living in a dysfunctional family as a child and going through depression as a single mother, I spent four years of therapy with a Dr. Pazder. Prior to that I entered a treatment center for alcoholism. I have been sober for twenty-three years. It was during my visits with Dr. Pazder, I was found to be dyslexic, and encouraged to attend the Victoria, READ Society. From there I went on to Camosun College for another three years completing my grade twelve in English. It was during this time that I became aware of the high rate of illiteracy in this country.

Thinking back about how three of my four children had left school between grades 7 and 10, I became aware that illiteracy could breed illiteracy. It was then that I started to become involved in being a spokesperson for adult learners. I have sat on many board and presently sit on three Boards of Directors for literacy and am chairperson of the Learner's Board for the Movement of Canadian Literacy and represent adult learners throughout Canada. I have participated on various panels, spoken through out high schools, Colleges, Universities, conferences and many other organizations. I have been interviewed on radio and television, and have been featured in several newspaper and magazine articles in order to promote awareness for literacy.

I have written poetry, short stories, articles for newspapers and magazines. I have written a play with another student in which I took part. There has been an award winning documentary on my life called, Ellen's story, which has been shown through out North America and many parts of Europe.

In October 1993, I received an award from the International English Speaking Union for my work in literacy, presented by the president of Zonta Club. On September 8, 1994, International Literacy Day, I was awarded The Flight For Freedom Award, presented to me by the Governor General of Canada in Ottawa. On September 8, 2005, I was honoured by the Minister of Education, Shirley Bond for my work in literacy and runner up for the Council of the Federation Literacy Award.

I have written my autobiography and hope to have it published by 2007.

I have been working in the field of literacy for twenty years.

[This story was taken with permission, from Carey Rigby-Wilcox's website at : http://www.seeabook.com/.]