In Her Presence

Our experience with the team at In Her Presence has been inspiring. By helping immigrant Mainer women find their voice, In Her Presence gives them a better chance to improve their future here in Maine. Their dedication, organization, and stories of success prove that they are helping to shape the future of Maine’s culture for the better.

I have had the privilege of volunteering for this group, and it is truly an incredible organization. It provides a wide range of resources for immigrants and refugees in Maine, created and run by women who, themselves, came to Maine without such supports. It helps with language learning, US/Maine-based life skills, and health/wellness education, to name a very few of its programs. It also provides women with a community, which seems even more important these days. It is a beautiful, powerful example of people using their own struggle to lift others up, and a testament to the power of women helping women.

I work in philanthropy and I've loved watching the development of this nonprofit. The founders are the wisest people I have met- they planned every detail of the organization before starting, assessing needs among women in our communities and developing strategies to best support them. Over the years the organization has grown and the programs get better and better. They have enriched the lives of so many people - the women participating in their programs, the volunteers and community members they engage. Theirs were among the easiest grants I've ever made.

From day one In Her Presence felt like one big family with other women coming from different countries.
I believe IHP provides great career growth, learning opportunities and empowerment to women. IHP helps immigrant women to learn English so that they can witness uniqueness from each other by increasing confidence, exchanging cultures through food and creating different connections between them as mothers, daughters and sisters. IHP is the place to be if you aim to bring your career to the next level .
IHP is special due to the diversity of the immigrant in background, skill sets and culture.
Meanwhile, IHP makes me step out of my comfort zone for me to discover new skills.
The CO-Founders are extremely dedicated and go the extra mile for the super work, they make things happen.

I highly encourage Women and Girls to be brave and join unique platform. You will not be disappointed.

In Her Presence uses an approach to teaching that is based in education theory and delivered in ways that honor cultural context and build community. The staff and volunteers are professional, skills, and effective and have made a real difference in the lives of participants.

In Her Presence is an amazing story and a most needed organization in our community. As a new Mainer myself, I am so happy to have found In Her Presence as an organization to donate to and work with. The founders know the needs and experiences of the community they serve. They have engaged trained professional teachers (I count myself as one of them) to work with the women and have set the tone for high standards of learning as well as embracing the fun of being together on this journey. I consider myself fortunate to be working with In Her Presence and "my" Senior Women.

In Her Presence is a vital, dynamic, compassionate, and empowering nonprofit that Portland, ME is lucky to have. In my role as a faculty member at the Maine College of Art, I have worked in partnership with In Her Presence's two co-founders, Micky Bondo and Claudette Ndayininahaze, for the past three years to create international recipe videos featuring many talented home and professional chefs from the In Her Presence program. Maine College of Art students gain a valuable experience of meeting women from a variety of cultures and filmmaking experience. I am so inspired by the work that In Her Presence does for the immigrant community and how generous that community is in sharing stories, inspiration and recipes. I learned recently about how In Her Presence has adapted to serve its participants during the pandemic - by supplying participants with technology to access classes remotely and delivering food to families, among other things - they are truly an incredible organization.

In her presence is an amazing organization that goes beyond any ordinary non profit. It is ran by two lovely ladies who understand their exact purpose because they know of the struggles that immigrant women face when trying to migrate into American culture. This organization is truly sincere and is extremely impactful.

This organization has great leadership (the founders are community leaders with incredible vision and compassion), dedicated and passionate volunteers, and the women in the community who participate are grateful, motivated and inspired to give back with their own gifts and talents. It truly is a beautifully envisioned and operated gem in the community, where women help women, where everyone is seen and valued, and where women come together to support and empower one another. Proud to be a long-standing supporter of this non-profit.

They are dedicated to their cause. The work ethic is unparalleled to what I have seen within an organization. The experience in her presence has help me evolve to a point I didn’t know I was capable of.

I've been a volunteer for in Her Presence for a couple years now and I like what they are doing for the community. Helping Immigrants to learn English and find their place in Maine is an essential and needed step. In Her Presence not only help them to learn English but also find jobs that are suitable for them. During this pandemic, they went out of their way to help them with anything that they need and when I say anything I mean anything. What I like the most about in her Presence is that they listen to the needs of their members.

Being part of In Her Presence is like having another family. In Her Presence gives immigrant women the tools and resources to stand on their own in a new country.

In Her Presence is a tremendous asset to the community of Portland. Their focus on leadership development is a much needed support to help community members increase their ability to advocate for their own needs.

In Her Presence serves as a lifeline for immigrant women, refugees and asylum seekers, who have fled their country and come to Maine to start a new life. IHP gives women hope, confidence and empowers them to face the many challenges of a new language, new culture and new home. IHP teaches immigrant women how to navigate their new city/country, by providing them with ESL classes, health education, resume writing, job training. IHP provides support systems, networks, friendships and a platform to succeed.
As a volunteer teacher for IHP, I have watched in awe as these women, who face so many challenges, learn English, find a job or start a business, raise their children, and become confident and self sufficient.

In Her Presence provides FANTASTIC opportunities to our wonderful immigrant women by teaching English and life skills that are necessary for navigating their new home in Portland, Maine. As a volunteer teacher to young mothers for three years, I have been so impressed by the tenacity, education, drive, commitment, positive and engaging attitudes that our women demonstrate. In Her Presence is a dynamic force in our community enriching the lives of all Mainers. ~ Becky Pride

The two founders of this amazing nonprofit, immigrants themselves, go above and beyond to help immigrant women find their voice literally and figuratively - teaching English, providing culturally sensitive health and education programs as well as a social outlet. In Her Presence has helped hundreds of immigrant women in Portland, Maine build new lives with the support and encouragement they need to feel like they belong.

Top-notch community-based organization founded and run by members of Portland’s immigrant and refugee community. In Her Presence empowers women of all ages through language-based educational workshops while building community agency and resilience.