Amelia & Isabelle: A Mother and Daughter Begin Again
Healing Begins Here: They Found Safety After Years of Silence
Two weeks ago, a mother and daughter—Amelia* and her 20-year-old daughter Isabelle*—walked into our Algeciras Freedom Center. They carried fear, exhaustion, and a quiet heaviness born from years of surviving circumstances no one should endure.
We welcomed them into our support groups and entrepreneurship program, where women practice grounding, hands-on work like decorating sandals. But during those first days, they stayed silent, guarded, unsure if this place could truly be safe.
Then, in a moment of rare vulnerability, Isabelle broke her silence.
She said softly, “I don’t want to live anymore…
I’ve tried to commit suicide five times.”
Her mother sat beside her—tired, scared, and holding far too much pain for any one person. Trauma doesn’t just wound individuals; it wounds families and generations. But the very next day, something remarkable happened. Isabelle returned—this time with a spark of determination. She participated. She tried the work again. She connected with others. And when one of our staff offered her a bicycle for a moment of simple joy, she accepted. She rode it outside, just for a few moments. And in her face, we saw something shift. Not everything. But a beginning.
Today, Amelia and Isabelle are living safely in a shelter. They attend the center regularly—learning, rebuilding confidence, and discovering hope in community. Recently her mother shared through tears:
“I think we are in the right place. Thank you for listening to us.”
Their story is far from over, but now they are safe. Supported. Surrounded. Healing—together.
*named change
What Your Generosity Creates:
A place where silence can break.
A place where mothers and daughters can breathe again.
A place where someone who wanted to die can begin imagining a future.
Your Giving Creates Spaces Where Healing Begins
Every donation helps sustain the community, counseling, and safety that women like Amelia and Isabelle desperately need.
When donating to a cause as complex as human trafficking, it’s hard to know that your generosity is actually going to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Not Abandoned empowers freedom for exploited women in the darkest places around the world, so that your donations actually change the destiny of a woman’s life.
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