“I have come to realize that there are still hopes for me.”

Hope, age 16

Hope

Hope was rescued in February of 2021 at age 16. Facing difficulties at home, she had turned to a life of sexual exploitation to pay for her education. After meeting our rescue agents, she jumped at the chance for a different life, free from exploitation. She joined our community care program and began working on her unique freedom plan with her caseworker and our staff. Recently, she shared about some specific difficulties in her life that she has overcome.

“I was a very disobedient, unteachable and hard-to-deal-with person but ever since I came to the reintegration program, there are changes in my life. My relationship with my parents has improved a lot and also they have started treating me like their own child – just like my other siblings. Before, they had actually given up on me but these days I am considered just like the other children who have been good to my parents. My mother has started mentoring me and I am being more responsible and accountable to my parents.

I also started involving myself in prayers. Through the discipleship program here, I can now take time and even read the Bible also.

I have stopped the street lifestyle. I am at home always helping out in house chores and work.”

Hope is growing and thriving after taking our empower trauma counseling course. Her relationship with her mother, which used to be extremely tenuous, is being mended.

“I had it in my mind that my mother didn’t love me because of the way she used to handle me. But since I was taught here, I came to realize that my mother loved me so and she wanted me to learn to do work just like any other girl growing up.

I learned how to deal with a lot of anger and bitterness. Revenge used to be part of my life, but when I went through the empower trauma counseling, I came to let go of so many things. My mother equally continued opening my eyes after my discussions with her on what I had learned from my classes.”

Our programs lay the groundwork for a girl’s future with trauma counseling and then help increase her opportunities in life by offering vocational training. When asked about her future she shared,

“Before I had given up hopes in life – that’s why I was so bitter. Now, I have come to realize that there are still hopes for me. I am eager to specialize in the tailoring vocational training program. I want to change my life completely so that the people who thought that nothing could come out of me will definitely see me with a better life. I don’t want to go back to my former life.”

In all stories, names are changed to protect a survivor’s identity. After reading her story, we chose the name Hope because her words and her story radiate hope. She has faced many hardships and challenges but when given the opportunity to start a new path she has jumped in with everything she has.

Most importantly, she sees her own life through the lens of hope – she is eager to learn and is confident in her future.

Rosie

Rosie was forced into a life of sexual exploitation at the tender age of 14. Grieving from the loss of her father and feeling rejected by her family, she joined friends on the streets. Soon she began selling herself to cover food and medical costs.

Rosie was rescued in March of 2021 at age 16. She joined our community care reintegration program and began working on her unique freedom plan with her caseworker. Our community care program places girls with their families whenever it is safe to do so and provides daily classes for them to attend. Rosie and her family have experienced much healing and restoration since March.

“When I joined the bad groups after my father’s death, there were a lot of words which were uttered to me from my family about me and it forced me to the streets. But l have come to realize that I was still young and it was my adolescence stage that forced me to become wayward in life. I realized that I had bad friends – that’s why life got messed up. Had I not listened to them, I could actually still be in school and studying but l dropped out of school and started this sex business but now I am back home.”

She’s noticed changes in her life since coming into our care.

“Ever since I came to the program I stopped drinking alcohol. I used to be disrespectful to my mother. I used to get back at her for whatever she would say to me. Now I have become respectful to her and I often listen to her whenever she is instructing.”

When asked about her hopes for her future she replied with confidence.

“For sure my future will be well. Because whatever l was doing before, I have stopped doing it now and am working on the vocational skill that will help me get my source of living…actually let me call it my ‘husband’… I will treat my new skill like it is my husband.”

Rosie is confident in her new life and path of freedom. She sees the value in her vocational training opportunity and the stability it can provide her future. Rosie is learning many new things and experiencing a restored relationship with her family. We echo Rosie’s declaration that for sure her future will be well!

“For sure my future will be well.”

Rosie, age 16