I was sitting in a room filled with other parents, all waiting for their child’s big moment. Then the time we had all been waiting for arrived when the principal began announcing the graduating class of 2018. Barely sitting on the edge of my seat, we all jumped to our feet when Druhi’s name was called. As we clapped and cheered, tears filled my eyes as she proudly shook her principal's hand and received her diploma- what a moment, the culmination of so much hard work came to an end and yet a beginning!
I first met Druhi* as a brave 10-year-old girl, fresh off a plane from Nepal. Her determination and strength were evident from the very beginning. Finding a good school for her to thrive was important for all of us.
Creative Life Foundation helped Druhi’s parents get their family documents in order before Amy (CLF Co-Founder) made an appointment with the principal at an International school. It was a long shot, but I remember Amy coming home that day with good news for not only Druhi but also her younger sister too.
She studied very hard over the years, taking advantage of the additional resources CLF was offering. We provided Druhi with mentors and tutors; after all, English isn’t her first language. When she was older, we even connected her to a couple of part-time jobs, where she gained work experience. Druhi told me “The staff at CLF have become part of my extended family, I have had many great opportunities to learn from them."
Druhi’s determination to succeed led her to not only graduating high school but to getting accepted to a university. This is what we continue to see over and over again from the students in our scholarship programs, challenges not only met but surpassed!
*Not her real name. In Nepali, Druhi means daughter.
We work with global partners and local leaders to create a more equitable and just world free of exploitation and risk. Through our holistic programs, we use education, advocacy, and resources to create a path to freedom and prevent human trafficking for children and parents from under-resourced communities in urban and rural Thailand.