Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Rhoda Mamakeesic

This case study documents the lived experience of Rhoda Mamakeesic, a retired healthcare worker in Manitoba, detailing her journey through residential school, periods of poverty, and her current stability through social housing and pensions.

• Rhoda Mamakeesic's childhood was marked by attendance at a residential school where she faced physical punishment for not speaking English and received a limited education, with significant time spent in chapel and performing chores.
• During her early adulthood and her daughter's childhood, Rhoda experienced significant material poverty, including living in an apartment with a mattress on the floor, using crates for furniture, and lacking dishes. She noted a lack of guidance regarding available resources and second-hand stores at that time.
• Rhoda overcame educational barriers through employer-supported training and personal effort to improve her English, eventually progressing from housekeeping to working as a Nurse's Aid and a translator for Aboriginal Services at the Health Sciences Centre (HSC).
• In retirement, Rhoda achieves stability through a combination of Manitoba Housing, the Healthcare Employee Pension Plan, the Canada Pension Plan, and her own pension, though she identifies housing as the most critical challenge for her community.

APA

Producer),, R. M. R. (. E. M. (. (2011). Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Rhoda Mamakeesic. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-rhoda-mamakeesic

Chicago

Producer),, Rhoda Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical. Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Rhoda Mamakeesic. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-rhoda-mamakeesic.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Producer), |first1=Rhoda Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical |title=Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Rhoda Mamakeesic |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=15 February 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-rhoda-mamakeesic |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{producer2011peg, author = {Producer),, Rhoda Mamakeesic,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical}, title = {{Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Rhoda Mamakeesic}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-rhoda-mamakeesic}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }