“I can’t even remember how many jobs I’ve applied to in a health related field. I’ve lost count. However, I’m a positive person. I never imagined I’d go through something like this – but I do believe things will get better. You’ve got to be hopeful.”
Dominique started his medical career as an ER doctor at the biggest hospital in Douala—the economic capital of Cameroon. Conditions there were challenging, and, due to equipment shortages, he often worked without basic medical supplies. He then transitioned to working for relief organizations such as Doctors Without Borders, where he focused on treating refugees and displaced persons.
Dominque’s wife was also committed to social change and faced violent government persecution due to a documentary she was making that criticized political hypocrisy. In 2015, the couple was forced to flee Cameroon as political asylees, leaving their three children behind with family members. Despite his experience working with displaced people, Dominique was unprepared to become one himself. In his career he had thrived in high pressure environments, tamping down disease outbreaks, setting up emergency clinics and coordinating relief efforts. While living in the D.C. metro area and waiting on his work authorization, Dominque began volunteering at a county health program. It was here that he was introduced to Upwardly Global, where he is learning to tailor his resume to U.S. positions and build his network. Dominque is committed to getting back to a career where he can help people and draws comfort from his infant son. “Just looking at his smile, it takes all the fatigue, stress, and frustration away.”