Asha
Asha grew up in a red-light district, raised by a mother who struggled with alcohol and often left her children hungry and afraid. Rescued as a young girl and placed in a shelter, she was able to go to school, but every holiday at home brought back the same neglect.
Looking for love, she married young. The abuse began soon after. While pregnant, she was sent away by her husband's family, and after her son was born, they refused to take her back. With nowhere to go, Asha slept on the streets with her baby and, in desperation, gave him into someone else's care, hoping he would have a better life.
To survive, she was pulled into the same work her mother had done. But Asha never stopped fighting for her son. After two years she brought him home, enrolled him in school, and took any honest job she could find.
Asha has since joined our sewing program. She is learning a skill, earning a steady wage, and walking away from her past one day at a time. She often stays long after her shift ends, stitching and talking with her mentor, because it is where she has found comfort and healing.