IRMAS

Raphaely

"I live in a small village in Maranhão, Brazil. My life has been difficult: my mother left me with my grandmother shortly after I was born, and I never understood why. My grandmother is a poor widow who is also raising two other grandchildren. I help her work on our small farm. During acai season, I will harvest the berries to sell and help pay household expenses.

I dreamed of entering Girlstown so that one day I could help my family and my grandmother. Here, I am very happy: I have many friends and the Sisters really love us. I learn a lot of things, I draw and paint, and I study hard because I want to become a lawyer. Thank you wholeheartedly to our friends and benefactors. Thanks to you, children like me can live safely and have a future. God bless you!"

Mika

I thank God, the people who love me and the Sisters for their big hearts. Thanks to them, I have a future.

Mika is the youngest of four children. After the death of his parents, he was taken in by his grandmother. Together they lived in severe poverty, eating only two or three days a week.

Mercedes

"I come from a poor family in Dar es Salaam. My father died when I was still little. My mother was left alone to take care of us. Later, she lived with a violent man, and we often had to sleep outside to escape his beatings. Sometimes we only ate once a day, depending on the generosity of neighbours.

Then one day, my life changed: I was welcomed into the Sisters of Mary school. I discovered a safe environment, plenty of food, but above all a chance to study and hope for a better future. Today, my dream is to become a doctor. I saw my family and so many poor people suffer from lack of care. My greatest desire is to be able to help them, save lives and relieve the suffering of those who have nothing."