Alexandra*, an immigrant in her early twenties, came to Ayuda seeking freedom for herself and her child. The child’s father, Stanley*, had struck Alexandra, threatened her family, and expressed intention to leave the country with their child. Alexandra...
Sarah*, an immigrant from Central America, had been with Martin* for 20 years when she finally left him. Over two decades of their relationship, she endured intimate partner violence and his alcoholism, but never stopped advocating for herself and her...
Jasmine*, a Cameroonian immigrant, arrived at Ayuda shortly after fleeing her abusive husband in Texas. With her four-year-old in tow, and another baby on the way, she was determined to find employment and build a safe home for herself and her family. It was an...
Emmanuel* first entered the U.S. over a decade ago with one simple mission: to donate a kidney to his brother. He departed his home country of Liberia with a B-2 Visa in hand for medical treatment purposes. The donation was a success, but his ongoing medical...
Rosa*, an immigrant from El Salvador, was happily living with her partner when she found out she was pregnant. Unfortunately, the news brought a sinister side out of the father-to-be, Julio*. His temper became short, eventually escalating to verbal and physical abuse...
Elias* was 16 when he arrived in the U.S. from Guatemala as an unaccompanied minor. He’d taken the risky journey hoping to reconnect with his mother stateside, whom he hadn’t seen since birth. Upon arriving in the D.C. area, Elias connected with Ayuda for a helping...
