BIYU: My Story of Hope

My father died in a car accident and my mother did not pay attention to me when I was growing up. In high school, I started talking to guys on social media and eventually dropped out of school because I felt too pressured. I wanted to earn money and go out into the world. One of my classmates took me to a massage shop. I stayed there for 2 days, but I was afraid, so I went back to my hometown. But I still felt like I had no other options, so I returned to the massage shop and stayed there for eight months. I tried to find another job, but I couldn’t find anything. One day, I met the Community Service team members of Starfish Project. They met with me regularly until I decided to leave the shops. My boyfriend took me in for my interview at Starfish Project because he wanted me to have a better job. Our relationship continued to grow, and we are now married and have one boy and one girl. I am now the Production Manager at our Riverside Branch. I have passed my Microsoft Word and Excel certification tests, I’ve completed holistic care training, and have gone to social worker training workshops. Now I’m studying English and hope to pass my country’s English certification exam. Through Starfish Project, I have created new goals to develop my career, and am now establishing my independence so that my family and I can experience freedom.