Imagine being a homeless teenager in a strange country, unable to speak the language, disconnected from everyone and everything you know. Sohel, whose parents abandoned him, lived on the streets until he found a shelter. From there, he was referred to the Leake & Watts Foster Care program.
“My life began to turn around. I had never met a person like my caseworker Stacy before. I never had someone really care about what happened to me, but she listens to me and helps me a lot,” Sohel says.
His good fortune continues. He is about to be adopted by the foster parent he has grown close to, leaving behind him the uncertainty and turmoil of life on the streets for a permanent, loving home.
With Stacy’s diligent, dedicated help Sohel was accepted into a preparatory school for English learners despite his lack of transcripts. She also got him an engineering internship. He now hopes to become a computer engineer because Stacy has shown him that dreams can come true.
“I never met a good person like her before. She is awesome. We just talk about what I can do and she gives me advice about my future,” Sohel says.
Sohel himself has a remarkable outlook on life. “I see a lot of people thinking about their past, crying. I don’t do that. I just focus on the future. Once I get up from the dirt, I see there are a lot of things for me. I got lucky. I don’t know how I got so lucky.”
His good fortune continues. He is about to be adopted by the foster parent he has grown close to, leaving behind him the uncertainty and turmoil of life on the streets for a permanent, loving home.
“I see a lot of people who love me and care about what happens to me. Before, nobody did. I may have come from nothing, but now I see there are lots of things for me.”