It has been almost three years since “Zelda” and her then four year old son came to WCCS seeking safety and stability after escaping an arranged marriage. She recently contacted us to share how she has been doing. This is her story:
Zelda had been physically and emotionally battered on a daily basis in her marriage. After leaving her abusive situation, her life continued to be in jeopardy, her husband found out she was in hiding and had told members of their mosque community that he would seek her out, kill her, and go back to his native country with their child. Her English language skills were non-existent and our Bilingual English and Spanish staff could barely community with her. Yet, through the use of interpreters, basic services were given to Zelda. After a few weeks she had learned both basic English and Spanish and was very motivated to succeed.
Prior to entering our shelter she had a joint hearing regarding her immigration status with her husband. Staff assisted with contacting the attorney regarding her situation but the attorney was not available. Zelda refused to leave the shelter telephone number. Due to a staff error, Zelda was never informed of the scheduled hearing date and a deportation order was issued. She was assigned a new worker at the shelter and letters to rescind the deportation were sent out. As her time at the Emergency Shelter was coming to an end, the order was withdrawn. She then transferred to our transitional living facility. At that time we were not equipped to deal with her special circumstances so she entered into our Outreach program via the Outreach/Walk-n Center.
While in the Outreach program she worked on her U-Visa and attended school, domestic violence workshops, and parenting classes. She continued to work her case plan and was very proactive in getting her life back on track and violence free. Zelda interned at our administrative office to become better prepared for the work force. She was a quick learner and became well-prepared for the job market. After 2 ½ years her immigration hearing time had finally arrived and the judge granted her asylum.
That was almost a year ago. Currently, Zelda has completed her education and has mastered the English language. She is working and living in a two bedroom apartment with her son, who is thriving in school and involved in various school activities. She is an active member in her community and has a genuine desire to help women in crisis live better lives. Zelda is so proud of all that she has accomplished these past few years and stated she could not have done it without the help, support and care she received while at WCCS. Her dedication to her son and desire to give him a better life is inspirational. They are now, both productive members of society and living violence-free lives. |
