May 2023
May 2023
Sometime toward the end of 2014, an angry teen walked into a police station and filed a complaint against some of her ‘family’ members. She had gone through, in her brief years, more than what an average person would go through in their lifetime…
She was trafficked by her family while a minor and forced to ‘support’ those around her… she was confused and struggled with what was happening to her and then one day reacted in anger and ran to the nearest police station.
In 2016, the safe housing shelter she was residing in referred her to our Sanctuary and thus began our journey alongside Seema.
Seema was a woman who did not trust easily - she wanted to chart her own course and internalized so much of her pain that it showed in her sharp words and anger. She was barely literate, struggled with basic math and did not want to sit in a class - she wanted to make her choices. Seema interpreted any structure as her freedom and voice being taken away.
It took some time to befriend her and for her to know that we were walking alongside her in her transformation - but it happened!
Over the next few years - yes, it took years! - Seema grew in her capacity and confidence, took a small apartment on lease and began to live and plan for her life.
In the Sanctuary, her production skills made her an obvious choice to be part of a three member team making sample pieces and training the rest of the Sanctuary on those skills.
Step by small step she grew to be the quality control person - responsible for the production in the Sanctuary - an average of 1,900 handmade pieces a month.
Her capacity is such that, in these past few months, she has trained a participant as a quality manager and is assisting in sourcing raw materials for production!
From someone who once struggled with anger, trust, and had no interest in completing her education, she was transformed into someone interested in growing her capacity and challenged herself to complete her high school education! She has indeed come a long way!
Seema’s life is an example of what encouragement and focus can accomplish in a person.
There are many more like Seema that we work with daily. Women are shaping their lives one step at a time and growing in confidence and capacity to take hold of their futures.
Warm regards
Max Fernand
Executive Director
Change is scary but in the Sanctuary I learned to face my fear and handle my emotions.
- Rica: from our Sanctuary in Cebu, Philippines.
