DASHKA

My name is Dashka, I am from Haiti and I’m 18 years. I first came to the United States when I was 11. My dad brought me here because he wanted me to have a better education than what I was getting back in Haiti. I had to leave my mom and my siblings behind so I could come here. It was very hard for me at first because I didn’t speak English, but I never gave up and I worked my way up with a lot of help from amazing people.

After I graduated middle school, I got a scholarship to go to a boarding school and there I met a lot great people. I worked so hard because the school was very expensive, but they gave you the options to work so you could stay there. In my junior year, I got some devastating news regarding my family that I am not ready to talk about that turned my world upside down. But I didn’t give up and just kept going to graduate from boarding school.

After that, everything changed. The people who said that they would be there for me all left me, even my family. It was very hard for me maintaining two jobs and going to school and I was at risk of being homeless. That’s when I contacted an old teacher from middle school who connected me with AHO and Zara, the founder.

At AHO, with Zara I got hope and emotional support and help in all kinds of ways. I was helped to get a job with Whole Foods, and when I found a place to rent Zara, and one of the AHO Council of Investors members, got a truck and helped me move. AHO has helped me get clothing from Image for Success that I need for my work and school, and is helping me get a scholarship for my education.

My exciting good news is I just found out recently that I was accepted at UC Berkeley, which is a dream come true.  AHO will help me with scholarships and whatever I might need to be successful on this new path.

 Zara has helped me a lot. She cares from her heart and will do whatever she can to help you. That’s what she did for me.  Through AHO I had the opportunity to be a youth spokesperson at the AHO Council meetings and with organizations in the community to share my story. I also participated in a documentary film that was produced about AHO to educate people about the growing trend of homeless and at-risk youth like myself that AHO is helping.

Please donate to AHO – 28% of Marin’s homeless are youth. AHO prevents us from becoming homeless adults.. [ Return to Youth Stories]