I am alive. I am working. I am earning. I am driving. I don’t think any of this would be possible if I had not connected with Kids Haven.

I did not grow up at Kids Haven. I lived at home but things were very hard for us. No one was working and we didn’t always have enough to eat. I finished school but didn’t find work.

I fell in love and my girlfriend became pregnant with our child. I was looking forward to being a father, even though life was challenging. Then my girlfriend suffered a miscarriage and our baby died. I was overcome by grief and all of my challenges became too overwhelming for me. I no longer wanted to live.

Uncle John met me through a community event and told me about the Youth Hub and the skills programme that Kids Haven runs for young people who are unemployed. I wanted to attend but was struggling to commit. John introduced me to Shiluva, a social worker from Kids Haven. I cannot explain how talking to Shiluva turned my life around. She understood where I was and how I could be so sad about my baby. She encouraged me to write letters to my baby and tell the baby just how much I wanted to be a father. This helped me so much and gave me the strength to attend the Youth Hub at Kids Haven.

Kids Haven uses connections to arrange interviews for young people. I impressed the owner of a local restaurant and was hired as a sculler. It hasn’t taken me long and I am now working as a griller in the restaurant. I have studied and passed my driver’s license and feel very hopeful for my future. Kids Haven has been able to give me the layers of support that I needed to get to this point.