Learning to Fly: Independence and Healing in 3.5 Months
At the Emerge Centre for Reintegration, we are fortunate to see miracles happen every day. Batch 11 is proof of that.
Emerge’s Reintegration Officer, Shakila, delivers individualised instruction on money and banking
The Emerge Centre supports teen survivors of sexual abuse as they transition from institutional care to independent living. Without this support, many young women face daunting odds: navigating life on their own without the skills, resources, or safe networks they need. At Emerge, we walk alongside them as they heal — and as they practice the everyday skills that many of us take for granted: taking the bus, reading maps, budgeting, applying for jobs, and navigating the world safely.
As one participant shared at graduation:
"For girls like us who had been caged in a small box, Emerge showed us a path to a beautiful, free world where we could finally breathe. It was Emerge that showed us the sky after a long night. It was Emerge that showed us a sky we had never seen before.... Who are we all, really? they asked us. We say we want to be like various different people, but it was them that taught us to be truly ourselves."
And the numbers tell their own story about participants after just 3.5 months in residence at the Emerge Centre:
🪷 100% showed meaningful improvement in wellbeing
🪷 80% reported reduced trauma symptoms
🪷 83% could confidently create a budget
🪷 100% gained foundational computer skills — from typing to browsing the web and email
Their transformation is both courageous and deeply practical — proof that with the right support, community heals.
It truly takes a village. But together, transformation happens. Over time, 85% of Centre participants have been successfully placed in jobs or continuing education.
I am so profoundly grateful to the Emerge team and partners who make this possible every single day.
