Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Rescue & Empowerment Stories”
Jeanne is a mother living in a small village in Benin. When we first met her, she had no job and struggled to feed her children. Being married to a man who is very old and frail, the responsibility of providing for the family falls on her. Today, she has received several small loans through our Micro-Finance Program, which she …
Juliette* is a 13 year old girl, who was rescued from becoming a child bride in Benin. Juliette was sent to live with her grandmother so that both parents could would work in Nigeria. Her aging grandmother was unable to care for her, and was pursuing marriage prospects in older men. Unfortunately, this is a common scenario for young girls …
When I was six years old, my parents didn’t have enough money to feed me, so they sold me to a restaurant in Nigeria to work. When I arrived at the restaurant, I became the owner’s property. I was a slave, and I was told every day that this was my destiny. I was always hungry, and they beat me …
When I was 15, my father accepted a marriage offer from a much older man that was visiting our village. I was immediately married, and left my home to be his wife. When I arrived at his home, I found an unpleasant surprise: that there were 8 other women who already lived there. My new husband was not kind to …
When I was eight years old, I was homeless on the streets of Monrovia, Liberia. My parents were killed during the 14-year civil war. I remember a childhood of incredible suffering and constant hunger. I slept under street market tables at night and dodging bullets by day. Those memories are not easy for me to talk about. Because of the …
When I was a very little girl, civil war raged around my home in Liberia. My parents were killed in the war, leaving my brother and I orphaned and alone. I remember the day we were found and rescued by a new momma who took us into her home, as her own children. Our new momma had such a heart …
Abandoned by his mother, beaten by many in his community, left to fend for himself in the garbage piles– this is Sylvester’s story. Sylvester is maybe seven years old, very small, developmentally delayed, non-verbal, not potty trained and suffers from seizures. The popular Liberian belief is that he is ‘not correct in his mind,’ and thus less than human, not …
I sit and wait a lot. Will I ever be remembered or always be forgot. My face lights up to the sound of a voice; the others say I have no choice. All I want is to be held in loving warm arms. I try to work some baby charms, but nobody listens, nobody cares, nobody helps, nobody shares. Will …
Captivated by her bright smile, I asked Emma, “Why do you love living in your new big home?” “Because no one beats me and because I have plenty of food to eat everyday,” she replied. “Emma, can you tell me how your life was in the village and who beat you?” I asked, knowing the woman and man she lived …
