PASSPORT TO FREEDOM
Your donation will support over 1500 women and children in the coming year - creating a pathways to free, independent futures.
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My name is Sonali and I am writing from India. This past spring I had the opportunity to travel to Nepal to teach children at our Freedom School. As I boarded my first ever airplane, I was overcome with emotions. I was once a young girl served by Her Future Coalition and now, a leader on their management team.
Her Future provides loving, long-term support that helps survivors and girls at high risk build their strengths to create beautiful lives and hopeful futures, even after the most difficult beginnings. I know this to be true because I grew up in a shelter home supported by Her Future. During that time my heart was able to heal. Later, I joined the Metalsmithing and Jewelry Design vocational training and used the income I made to move out of the shelter home, and get my college degree.
My dream is to help others overcome the challenges they face, and I am writing with hope you’ll consider a donation to change more girls’ lives for the better. Your donation will support over 1500 women and children in the coming year - creating a path to a free, independent future.
I am grateful that my own path led me to my Nepal trip. It helped me to grow in personal and professional ways.
Before Nepal I had never been outside of West Bengal. I had just gotten my first passport, and this trip was outside the country for three months! I was nervous in the airport terminal and going through immigration but Sarah was traveling with me and everything went smoothly. When we landed it was cold, like 8º celsius, but I was felicitated with warm water, good food and loving care.
I would be teaching English and leading a tutoring program for teen girls living in the dormitory. Those girls mostly left school at an early age and were behind in grade level. Some were in child marriages and all were at high risk for trafficking, a huge problem in that part of Nepal. My job was to help them to catch up so they can complete their education and become less vulnerable.
I also realized that just because I was a teacher, it's not like I know everything. It's more like everyday I was learning new things along with my students. The funniest thing was when people found out my age, they were surprised and they started to give advice to get married. To them I am an old woman (I turned 28 in the village)! It was sad to see so much child marriage in the community. I feel there is a huge need for education so that girls and boys are able to make wise decisions by themselves.
Through my whole journey with HFC over the past 12 years,I have learnt many things. Thank you for walking this path with me, and with sisters around the world. I’m honored to give back in the ways I can, and hope you’ll join me by giving from your heart. Together we can give more girls the opportunity to have new experiences, great adventures and live safe, free lives.
With gratitude,
Since 2005 Her Future offers shelter, education, job training and mental health programs to survivors of gender violence and girls at the highest risk. Our long term, intensive support enables them to recover from trauma, rejoin society, and build a bright future. We believe passionately in collaboration as the only way to solve the worlds' biggest problems, and operate many of our programs in partnership with respected local agencies, with whom we have built relationships of trust over many years.
Her Future Coalition, EIN# 37-1497985 is a Massachusetts non-profit corporation, (501c3 federal tax exempt), and your donation is tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.