When local officials reached out to The Freedom Story for help, our community responded with compassion and urgency. Together, we created a pathway to safety for eight children who were in immediate danger of being trafficked.
In October 2025, our team met eight students whose lives had been shaped by instability and risk. Each child had experienced neglect or abuse and was on the verge of dropping out of school, just weeks before the new term began. Without support, they faced losing a chance to build a future marked by safety, education, and opportunity.
Among them were Som* and Yen*, two sisters who have faced more challenges than any child should. Yen worked long hours on a farm to help her younger sister stay in school, while both lived with their father in an unsafe and unstable home. Despite their hard work to keep up in school, poverty and lack of support kept them years behind their classmates.
Then you stepped in and started to rewrite their story.
In just five days, our community raised enough to provide Som, Yen, and six other children with one-year scholarships. These scholarships include an education stipend, safe housing in school dormitories, mentorship, and training on how to stay safe from exploitation, providing them with stability, a sense of belonging, and the tools they need to build better futures.
Because of your generosity, Som and Yen can now focus on their schoolwork instead of worrying about survival. They’re catching up in school, making friends, and discovering what’s possible in a safe and supportive environment.
Your support didn’t just meet an urgent need—it gave these girls their childhood back, and with it the ability to dream and imagine a better life.
The scholarships you helped fund will carry them through this school year. However, to continue their education and stay safe in the long term, they require ongoing support.
A monthly gift of $83 or a one-time gift of $1,000 provides one student with a full year of education, mentorship, and safety training.
Your continued support can help Som, Yen, and others like them move from surviving to thriving.
*Names and photos changed to protect student privacy.
