At just thirteen years old, Sasha had already endured a turbulent childhood. For four years, she cycled in and out of an institution. Despite intermittent returns to her biological mother, she was repeatedly removed due to her mother’s neglect to fulfill parental responsibilities and provide proper care. Eventually, her mother’s parental rights were permanently revoked… and Sasha ended up back in an institution.
The instability continued. Sasha was placed in a foster family, but tragically, it was not a healthy family environment where she unfortunately once again faced inept care. She was promptly removed and returned to the orphanage. You can imagine her heartbreak – how lost she felt within a broken system. Through it all, she often thought of her father, longing to be reunited with him before aging out of the orphanage.
In early 2024, an AFFEO partner met Sasha and discovered her heartfelt hope to reunite with her father, Xavier. Xavier shared the same dream to be reunited with his daughter, but he was uncertain about how to make it happen. There was a significant obstacle standing in the way. Xavier was not listed on Sasha’s birth certificate and therefore had no legal claim to her.
After meeting Xavier and hearing his heart’s desire, our local partner was quick to jump in to help. They worked with social services to ensure Xavier could provide a safe, nurturing home to properly care for Sasha, paving the way for their reunion. They helped provide the father and daughter with extensive psychological and social consultations, and initiated the legal proceedings to establish Xavier’s paternity and secure his parental rights. Xavier and Sasha are excited and hopeful for their future together!
Sasha’s journey to a stable family has been long and difficult, but the pieces are finally falling into place. Your kindness is protecting her from spending the rest of her teenage years in an orphanage and has set in motion the path for her to be joyfully reunited with her father… a dream she has held onto for years! Thank you for empowering partners to guide families through reunification efforts, ensuring they receive ongoing support as they start a new chapter together filled with hope, healing, and love.