Sahra knows what it’s like to be at rock bottom. She was abandoned by her mother at a young age, and a few years later lost both her father and stepmother to drug addiction. At 16, Sahra gave birth to her first child. She was pregnant with her second child when she graduated high school. “My past is a big part of where I come from,” Sahra said.
But Sahra knew early on that where she came from and where she wanted to go were two completely different places. So rather than continuing down the difficult path she seemed destined to travel, Sahra instead sought support and began a new journey so that she could provide her children with the stability she never had.
Through hard work and with a little help, Sahra earned a college degree, found success in the business world, and established a safe and loving home for her three biological children. But she didn’t stop there.
In 2017, Sahra and her boyfriend, Dexter, began the process of becoming foster parents with UMFS. “We didn’t just want to help any kid,” Sahra said, recalling the trials and tribulations she faced in her own life. “We wanted to help the children who were a little more challenging.”
Sahra and Dexter ultimately adopted three children from foster care. Her three biological children and she and Dexter’s three foster children get along like best friends, Sahra said, and the family continues to actively foster.
“You’ll never forget the people that helped you along the way,” Sahra said.
*****
To learn more about becoming a foster parent, please contact Angela Rivers (703.927.0359 or arivers@UMFS.org) or visit UMFS.org/foster.