When Vanessa* was chosen among the first group of children to participate in Friends of the Children at its inception, she was in the midst of a rough childhood and living with her grandmother: “I was in the principal’s office all the time. I was always fighting and acting out.”
Today, Vanessa is a poised and self-confident young woman. She is studying Veterinary Medicine at a prestigious historically black college in Alabama. Vanessa gives Friends of the Children substantial credit for her success: “It has helped me broaden my horizons on life and stay positive.”
Imani
Seattle, WA
When Imani’s* father took his own life a year ago, it was hard for Imani’s mother to understand — but it was even harder for Imani. Without Imani’s father’s income, it became difficult for the family to scrape by financially, even for food. Immediately after his father’s passing, Imani’s grades began to drop and he started acting out in class. His self-esteem plummeted, and his motivation diminished.
While Imani will never completely get over losing his father at such a young age, his Friend is a positive male role model who helps him deal with his grief and learn to enjoy life again. More than anything else, Imani hopes that one day he will be able to help his mom. With the help of his Friend, he is starting to see how they can support one another right now.
Today, Imani likes to use the library card that he got with his Friend. Together they spend time reading books and working on the computer. He is beginning to believe in his own abilities, and become more motivated about schoolwork.
*
All children’s names have been changed to protect their privacy.
Photographs represent a variety of children in our program and do not correspond
with any
story in particular.