Just Hope Hero: Sofia, Abuse Survivor, Wants to Help Others

When Sofia was 13, she and her sister were taken to an orphanage by the national adoption authority in the Dominican Republic. The girls’ mother moved away when Sofia was 8 and they were left to live with their stepfather. For five years, the girls were abused, often locked in the house alone and were not attending school. Finally, a concerned neighbor reported the abusive stepfather and the girls were removed from the home.

She is now 17, a young woman who has matured greatly since coming to the orphanage. After four years in a safe and stable environment, she has become responsible, friendly, studious and dedicated to making a future for herself. She enjoys reading, listening to music and playing soccer, and she has a high aptitude for math. Read Sofia’s story…