Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my story.
WHO I WAS
In Sudan, I spent more than 25 years building a career in nutrition, health, and humanitarian work. I was not someone who needed help, I was the one people came to for it. I served communities, supported women and children, worked alongside health systems, and stood at the center of humanitarian programs that mattered. I knew who I was and what I had to offer.
STARTING OVER
Then I came to the United States, and almost overnight, that identity disappeared.
No one tells you that the hardest part of starting over is not learning something new, it is grieving who you used to be while trying to become someone again.
Twenty-five years of experience suddenly did not seem to count for much. I struggled with a new language, searching for words that used to come to me easily in meetings and with patients. I felt the particular loneliness of being in a new country, far from the community that knew me, without the network that once made me feel capable. And underneath all of it was a quiet, constant worry about stability: how to support myself, how to find footing, how to simply move forward.
When you start again in a new country, experience alone is not always enough.
You need an opportunity.
You need someone to believe in you.
You need a place where you can learn, grow, and regain confidence.
For me, Havenly became that place.
THE TURNING POINT
I still remember the first time I spoke English in front of the group and felt understood, not just heard, but understood. It was such a small moment to anyone watching, but it changed something in me.
I remember instructors and mentors who looked at me and saw capability, not just need. They believed in me before I fully believed in myself again. I remember learning skills that did more than add to my resume; they shifted how I saw my own future. And I remember the relationships with mentors, volunteers, staff, and other women walking the same road who showed me I was not alone in this.
At Havenly, I gained new skills, strengthened my English and digital literacy, deepened my understanding of financial and professional development, and built meaningful relationships with instructors, mentors, volunteers, staff, and other women.
Most importantly, Havenly reminded me that starting over does not mean having to start from zero.
CARRYING IT FORWARD
I graduated from Cohort 12, but my journey did not end with graduation. I continued volunteering at Fair Haven Community Health Care, where I support Food as Medicine activities, engage with patients, and use my nutrition background to serve the New Haven community. At the same time, I continue to share knowledge, ideas, and professional experience with colleagues and partners in Sudan.
The impact of Havenly did not stop with me. It moved with me, into my community here and into the work I continue to do.
And this is why I believe strongly in investing in women.
WHY THIS MATTERS BEYOND ME
There are many women who have talent, experience, determination, and the ability to contribute, but they may need support to complete their education, gain professional qualifications, find employment, or move toward a better career.
The problem is often not a lack of talent. The problem is a lack of opportunity.
Imagine what could happen if more women received that opportunity.
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A woman who finds meaningful employment can strengthen her family.
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A woman who completes her education can change the future of her children.
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A woman who develops professional skills can become a leader, a mentor, and a source of opportunity for others.
This is why supporting Havenly is much more than supporting a program. It is investing in human potential. It is investing in women. It is investing in families and communities. And ultimately, it is investing in the future.
WHY I AM HERE TODAY
I am here today not only as a Havenly graduate, but as an example of what can happen when a woman is given an opportunity.
I want more women to have that opportunity to work, to complete their education, to grow professionally, to rebuild their confidence, and to give back to their communities.
If we invest in women today, the impact will continue far beyond the classroom.
Havenly gave me a bridge to my next chapter. Now I hope we can build that bridge for many more women.
HOW YOU CAN HELP BUILD THAT BRIDGE
That is why I am asking you to continue investing in Havenly. When you invest in a woman, you are not investing in one life. You are investing in the lives she will touch.
With gratitude,
Fatima
Havenly Cohort 12 Graduate