When we receive letters like this from former residents of the Courage House program, we believe it’s important to share the weight of their words with you. Joanna*, now 28-years-old and in college, shared these emotional and impactful words with us recently after reconnecting with us to access free therapy services.
Courage Worldwide doesn’t give up on survivors just because they leave our day-to-day care—former residents are consistently provided with counseling, academic and employment assistance, and financial assistance as many don’t have safe and/or healthy families to turn to.
Read Joanna’s words and know that your support helps provide this kind of change and difference in the lives of children exploited for sex.
"As a Courage House alumni, I just wanted to say thank you for never giving up on any of us. I know it has been a while since you heard from me. I could never afford therapy on my own right now and even though it was difficult for me to reach out and ask for help, I knew you would say yes because you have always been a mom to all of us who called Courage House home.
I wanted to reach out and thank you for my time at Courage House. The love and reassurance you guys gave me has really gotten me through some difficult times in my life. I know I was a difficult, ungrateful teenager but you really, really made a difference in my life at that critical stage. Life could have ended very differently for me if I had not found you. I now want to show other young girls there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
So many people have commented and offered various opinions on Courage House and our program but they have no idea what you and this program meant to us and did for us. You told us we were created on purpose for a purpose. I believe that now but at the time for many of us who called Courage House home it was the only time we were able to sleep without fear and for some of us it was our first experience of feeling loved and that we had a family who understood our pain and trauma.
I am forever grateful to you and all the staff at Courage Houses. Please open more homes. Your dream changed my reality. If one young girl is saved then it was ALL worth it. Thank you for believing in me until I could believe in myself.”
Want to join us in making a substantial difference in the lives of trafficking survivors? Donate now and support girls just like Joanna on their road to recovery.
*Name changed for privacy
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