by Jonathan Spencer, President & Founder
Hi Friends,
As 2022 draws to a close, New Horizons’ Board, together with our staff and girls in India, want to extend our gratitude and best wishes to you for a blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year.
Last month I had the privilege of spending a week with the girls who are currently living at our Main Campus and our Transition House. I wish each of you were able to see firsthand the transformation that is occurring in the lives of these young women. To that end, I want to share an update to Alisha’s story.
Many of you have previously had the opportunity to view the 6-minute video that has been featured on our website (if not, you can see it here: https://vimeo.com/374048144). In that video, Alisha (we are using a pseudonym to protect her privacy) shares her experience about being violently trafficked by her stepmother and the subsequent cruelty and abuse that she endured at the hands of strangers.
Fast forward 3 years: Alisha recently graduated from New Horizons House and is now married. When we visited her in November, she was thriving and radiant. This year, she opened her own small business (a tailoring shop) which is flourishing and is also planning to open a small restaurant with her husband selling curries and other Indian dishes. She continues to interact with the staff at New Horizons as her journey progresses.
We currently have 65 girls who are at various stages in their own journey towards restoration: our younger girls are receiving an education and many of our older girls are either attending University or are enrolled in entrepreneurial business training classes (photo). All of them continue to receive love and support (including counseling and medical care) thanks to your ongoing partnership.
We are excited about 2023 and look forward to sharing more about our plans in the coming months. Meanwhile, please continue to keep the safety and well-being of our girls and staff in your prayers and thank you in advance for whatever year-end financial support you might be able to provide. As always, you can donate and/or follow our progress at our website (www.newhorizonshouse.org).
